Star Trek: Reign Of Terror
by SonOfTed
Summary: Data shows up aboard DS9 with Janeway and "Tuvok", intending to plant the Vulcan undercover within the Maquis. Before they can complete their mission however, a series of terrible murders adds to growing concern about the Dominion threat. Read me FOURTH!
1. The Devil In The Dark

**DISCLAIMER:** _The following is fan fiction utilizing events and characters from the "Star Trek" television series. It is fan fiction only… there is NO intent here to collect income or infringe on the trademarks, copyrights, or patented work of others. Please DO NOT use this material for anything other than pure reading enjoyment. If you have been missing at least occasional new "Star Trek" episodes in your life, this is the place to come._

* * *

**Star Trek: Reign Of Terror**

_I have not kept up with the "Star Trek" novels the past few years. Since many of the book plots have at times varied from what we see on screen anyway, this storyline is based primarily upon the episodes that we have viewed at home on TV and the movies we've watched while munching popcorn in the movie theatres._

_If you haven't read my other stories yet, I strongly urge you to do so BEFORE reading this one. Although I have tried to write stand-alone episodes, there are some common characters involved in each that relate to the sequence in which they were written. As an example, Lt. Commander Patrick Hazelton appears briefly in this story. In my version of the Trekiverse, he eventually takes over command of DS9 after Sisko joins the prophets in the Celestial Temple. The correct reading order is: Absolution, Eternal Soul, Dark Archon, & Reign Of Terror. _

_Each time I do a "Trek" story (and there is an actual list now!), I try to add something unique and different to the mix and yet stay true to the original heart and soul that is "Star Trek". As part of my ongoing effort to tip my cap to my favorite Science Fiction series of all time, each Chapter in THIS story is named after one of the 79 episodes from the original television show. (And NO that doesn't mean there will be 79 chapters… just the precise number of them that I need to properly tell this tale. Somehow I just don't think I would be able to work 'Miri' into the storyline!)_

* * *

**Chapter I: The Devil In The Dark**

* * *

Deep Space Nine, Commander's Office

* * *

_Station Log, Stardate 48244.6. Starfleet Command has made it quite clear to me that they believe our hostile encounters with the Dominion will continue to escalate. Having recently escaped destruction at the hands of the ferocious Jem'Hadar during our recent peace mission into the Gamma Quadrant, my command staff and I are deeply troubled. Despite placing the_ Defiant _permanently at our disposal, Vice Admiral Nechayev has additionally ordered the deployment of hundreds of new personnel aboard DS9. Along with their assistance, Chief O'Brien is extremely optimistic that we will finally upgrade this station's firepower with the resources necessary to defend our side of the wormhole._

_Still, the temporary assignment of extra Starfleet and Bajoran technicians on board does present a heightened security risk. With so many people moving back and forth both outside and inside the station, along with the normal commercial traffic that continues flowing to and from the Gamma Quadrant, there are admittedly more loopholes and opportunities for dishonesty than ever before. Odo has assured me that – although his relationship with the newly assigned Lt. Commander Michael Eddington remains tenuous – he will continue to fulfill his duties as Chief of Security to the best of his ability. I really don't care if those two like each other, or the situation… only that they work together and minimize trouble._

* * *

Sitting comfortably in his dimly lit office adjacent to and overlooking main Operations, Commander Benjamin Sisko folded the fingers of both hands together and set them on the surface of his desk. He eyed the baseball that he kept sitting in its stand in front of him and considered tossing it idly back and forth from one hand to the other. Occasionally he did so while deep in thought and pausing to think before speaking, but this time he decided that the log summary he had recorded would suffice for now. An instant later he rose from his seat and headed back out into the main Ops command center to assist Jadzia Dax and Major Kira Nerys with monitoring the ongoing progress of the station upgrades.

As he joined the rest of his senior staff, Sisko was quite surprised to see a sleek new Federation runabout prominently displayed on the central, oval-shaped viewscreen. It was obviously drifting steadily toward them at reduced impulse velocity. "That's _not_ one of ours," he commented idly, glancing at Kira as the small vessel continued to move steadily toward them. "Are we expecting anyone today Major?"

She smirked at his subtle prod, glancing up just long enough to chuckle in reply. "That _is_ one of yours Commander," she replied coolly. "Perhaps not a Deep Space Nine runabout, but it's definitely Starfleet."

Chief Miles Edward O'Brien was standing between Kira and the similarly dark-haired Jadzia Dax, busily using one of the Operations sensor consoles to study incoming telemetry on the shuttle. "It looks to be a brand new design," he pointed out, whistling softly and sounding more than a bit awestruck. "And a pretty good one too – that ship is a Knighthawk-Class runabout. Rumor has it they can outrun just about anything warp capable. Its identification beacon reads as the _U.S.S. Yellowjacket_."

"We're being hailed Commander," Jadzia noted crisply.

Sisko harrumphed at her in response and shrugged his broad shoulders. "On screen please."

He recognized the android 2nd officer from the _Enterprise_ the instant the display switched to an interior visual of the _Yellowjacket_'s cockpit. Two additional people were sitting directly behind Lt. Commander Data – a man and a woman. Neither face was immediately recognizable to Sisko, but the red-haired female wore a Starfleet uniform and sat calmly with a quiet confidence and body language generally associated with someone of high rank and considerable experience. The male was dark-haired and – although very youthful looking in appearance – almost certainly closer to age thirty than twenty. His expression was unreadable, and Sisko noticed that this third member of Data's party wore civilian garb.

"_Captain Sisko, it is an honor to finally make your acquaintance_," Data said politely. "_Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to do so during previous _Enterprise_ visits to Deep Space Nine_."

"The honor is mutual," replied Sisko, moving casually toward the center of Ops. "Your reputation in Starfleet is quite an impressive one. Forgive my obvious interest, Commander, but I am extremely curious – what brings you out this far?"

"_Business, as you might have guessed_," the android replied quickly. "_I am carrying special encrypted orders for you that were routed to me via Captain Picard directly from Starfleet Intelligence. No one other than the senior members of your command staff must know about the details of this mission… complete secrecy regarding this matter is of the utmost importance_." Data's gaze shifted from Sisko to the Bajoran technicians working at various consoles throughout Ops. His eyes finally came to a rest on Chief O'Brien, a non-commissioned member of Starfleet.

"It's good to see you again Data," nodded O'Brien with his usual wry smile.

Sisko stroked his chin thoughtfully with his right hand as he mentally processed the news. "And Captain Picard? What does _he_ think about all of this?"

"_Both Captain Picard and Commander Riker are fully aware of the situation_," responded Data. "_They have agreed to temporarily reassign me to Deep Space Nine until my new mission is completed_."

"Okay then," acknowledged Sisko. He turned his head sharply to Jadzia. "Dax… grant them clearance to land in runabout pad 'D'.

"Aye sir," Jadzia Dax replied as she initiated the docking clearances needed.

Sisko redirected his attention back to the oval viewscreen. "I'll meet your group at the landing bay," he stated briskly. "I must confess that I'm very eager to read those new orders of yours."

* * *

Flanked by Miles O'Brien and Michael Eddington, Benjamin Sisko waited patiently at the entrance to runabout pad 'D' as its interior pressurized with a normal, breathable atmosphere. It didn't take long before the doors snapped open and Data emerged with the other two people following close behind. The red-headed female had four bright pips on the collar of her uniform and Sisko nodded with genuine respect as he recognized a senior officer.

"I'm Captain Kathryn Janeway," the red-headed female stated confidently and with a warm smile, extending her hand to shake Sisko's. She gestured to the tall, gangly man next to her. "And this is my associate, Mr. Tom Paris."

Data promptly entered a decryption sequence authorization on a data padd that he was holding and then handed the small device to Sisko. "These are your new orders," he stated honestly. "You and your security team are instructed to assist us as we attempt to smuggle Mr. Paris into one of the colonies along the demilitarized zone near the Cardassian border. Tom is a very resourceful man, and we have high hopes that he will be able to infiltrate the renegade Maquis who still cause trouble there from time to time and serve as a valuable source of intelligence."

Eddington raised an eyebrow in surprise at the unexpected announcement. "Doesn't Starfleet already have plenty of double agents working within the ranks of the Maquis?"

The android shrugged his shoulders in a reaction that appeared very human-like. "I have my orders."

"Then so do we," Sisko agreed with a smile as he completed his initial review of the official authorization listed on the padd. "Chief O'Brien will assign and escort you to quarters in the habitat ring, and if you need to meet with my senior staff…"

Commander Data held up a cautioning hand. "It is better if only those present know the full details of the mission," he decided instantly. "The presence of Captain Janeway aboard Deep Space Nine will draw lots of attention to her, allowing Mr. Paris to move among the regular ship Captains who frequent the businesses on your Promenade. We will distract everyone away from him and allow him the time he needs to book passage on a ship bound for the DMZ."

Eddington's eyes shifted back and forth between Data and Sisko. "That does make the most sense Commander," he agreed with a dry smile.

"Then that's exactly what we'll do," replied Sisko.

Chief O'Brien glanced longingly through the window at the sleek form of the _Yellowjacket_ setting inside the hangar bay. "I was looking forward to getting a closer look at your new runabout," he admitted sheepishly. "You don't suppose…"

"How are the repairs coming on the _Defiant_?" asked Sisko curiously, interrupting O'Brien before he could finish his statement.

His unexpected question snapped O'Brien to attention. "We're ahead of schedule sir," he replied briskly. "In two more days we should have her back to one hundred percent."

"Show these people to their quarters as instructed," ordered the Commander firmly. "_Then_ you can come back and take a few minutes to have a look at the _Yellowjacket_."

O'Brien smiled delightedly. "Sir. Yes sir," he acknowledged with a cheerful nod. Turning to the newcomers, he gestured for Data, Janeway and Paris to follow him. "Right this way everyone," he declared enthusiastically. As the three runabout passengers began following him down the corridor, the Chief put a reassuring hand on Data's shoulder. "How _is_ everyone aboard the _Enterprise_ these days?" he asked curiously. "Are you still keeping the Federation safe from 'Q'?"

"Of course," Data replied brusquely. "'Q' management remains one of our number one priorities."

The Chief chuckled and shook his head at the unanticipated comeback. Of all the wonders he had observed over the years while working with the sophisticated android, O'Brien had always loved the way Data could inadvertently make people laugh when he least intended to but completely botch a real joke on the rare occasions when he intentionally tried telling one. "It's good to see you again sir," grinned O'Brien, unsuccessfully trying to stifle his amusement.

* * *

Quark's Bar, 2nd Level

* * *

Quark had reached the top of the winding stairs and was nearing the entrance to one of his holosuites when he heard Rom cussing loudly from below. Gritting his sharpened teeth with frustration, the Ferengi bartender cast a fierce gaze down the stairwell in the general direction of his clumsy brother. "Rom, you sack of rotten tube grubs," he growled with more than mild irritation, "don't you _dare _drop any of that food!" Expertly steadying his own tray of fine cuisine with his left hand, he shifted a bottle of expensive wine to the crook of his elbow so that he could open the door in front of him.

"Don't worry brother," Rom cooed reassuringly in reply. "I stumbled but I didn't fall." Taking another step upward, he noticed the fresh browned biscuits in the center of a selection of an array of fine meats tumble awkwardly toward the edge of one of the two platters he held. Using his large, ridged nose he quickly stopped them from dropping all the way to the floor and edged them back toward their former position next to a laden gravy boat.

"If you wreck this expensive meal, the cost is coming out of _your_ share of our profits," promised Quark with a last look of disdain. As the doors in front of him parted with a soft hiss he stepped into the holosuite with his most enthusiastic smile leaping instantly into action. "Captain Keyoun," he purred respectfully. "What an _honor_ it is to see you again."

Gasping for breath, Rom entered the room close behind him with his own pair of hot, steaming food trays barely balanced in his hands. "I made it!" Quark's brother declared proudly, sighing heavily with relief. "For a moment there, brother, things didn't look all that _gooood_."

In the center of the room was a large, extravagantly decorated table covered in gold cloth. The cups, plates and silverware arranged on its surface were all brightly colored silver and inlaid with various colored gemstones. The entire holosuite had been programmed to appear as a sunlit-day next to a frothing waterfall, and birds could be heard chittering among the trees in the background. The table was sitting on a lush, grassy field near the base of the waterfall with the gradually subsiding current flowing casually past the person seated there. The water was fresh and clear and mesmerizing to watch… it was a very beautifully designed holographic setting.

Keyoun was a tall humanoid Bajoran with a wide smile and an unusually large crinkle at the top of his nose. His long dark hair was tied in a pony tail at the base of his neck, and the Bajoran earring attached to his right ear was obviously a very expensive one. The freighter Captain was also Quark's latest partner in the pursuit of profit… always a high priority, ongoing mission with the Ferengi bartender.

"It is also my honor to see you again Quark," Keyoun grinned, standing and thumbing his signature on a data padd as he handed it over. Both Quark and Rom hastily set their trays of food and the bottle of wine in the center of the table as a frothy mist from the waterfall drifted past them on a cool breeze. The Bajoran freighter Captain breathed in the fresh air with appreciation and sighed deeply, continuing to smile broadly at the two Ferengi.

"We agreed on _thirty_ percent for my trouble," Quark reminded Keyoun as he expertly popped the cork out of the bottle. It landed somewhere in the stream behind him and he poured the Captain a glass of pale amber liquid. "I sincerely hope you haven't disappointed me."

The Captain laughed uproariously in response. "My good friend Quark," he said with more than a little amusement. "You have found me so many new, reliable customers lately that I have transferred _thirty-two_ percent into your account. And I have also brought you _this_ as a major token of my appreciation." Reaching down beneath the table he brought out a large briefcase and handed it over to the Ferengi. As Quark accepted it, he almost dropped it.

"This is heavy. What did you bring me Keyoun, a suitcase full of lead?" Quark tried to lift it one more time, finally giving up and gesturing for Rom to pick up the luggage.

"That briefcase contains your _bonus_," chuckled Keyoun with a wicked smirk. "It's full of _latinum_." He briefly sniffed the aroma drifting up from the wine glass and then sipped lightly at the liquid inside. "Ahh, this is truly the nectar of the Prophets."

Quark frowned briefly as he watched Rom struggle to drag the briefcase out of the holosuite before returning his attention to the Bajoran. "That's a _lot_ of latinum," he pointed out. "Who in the galaxy could possibly want simple deck plating and gravity generators that badly?"

Keyoun shrugged, drained the glass of wine completely and quickly poured himself another round. "I have no idea Quark, my friend, and I really do not care." He reseated himself at the table and directed his attention toward the three laden food platters, picking out several samplers to munch on as they continued their conversation. "All I know is that the merchandise is easy enough to replicate, it's not illegal, and it's even easier to sell to someone who wants the equipment badly enough to pay three times the normal market price."

Despite the Captain's comments, Quark shook his head. "It's not supposed to be this easy Keyoun… my highly developed lobes are sounding warning bells every time we complete one of these transactions." He stood quietly for a moment, carefully thinking the matter over. "Nevertheless, if it's that easy to snow people out of their money with merchandise that they could acquire cheaper elsewhere, I might have to invest in an industry-sized replicator or two for myself."

The slim, dark-haired Keyoun's good mood persisted as he sampled more steaming offerings from the appetizer tray. "Why would you want to do that my old friend, when I already have access to several of them and you're making thirty percent off of everything I rake in?" He drank more of the wine and smiled. "Fortunately, our customers want their product fast and they're willing to pay extra to get it."

Despite years of business expertise and an instinct telling him otherwise, Quark decided to agree. "I guess you're right," he nodded. Retreating back toward the still open doorway leading away from the outdoor nature setting and back to the Deep Space Nine corridor and its stairwell to the lower level, the Ferengi paused next to a computer access panel. Removing an isolinear rod from the pocket of his jacket, he carefully inserted it into one of the open slots and smiled at Keyoun. "Since you decided to give me a little extra bonus, I might as well return the favor." Quark's grin was particularly wicked as he paused one last moment in the doorway. "Enjoy your meal," he said softly before taking a step back into the corridor and allowing the door to close.

Keyoun declined to respond and returned his attention to the meal. He had just dipped a hot biscuit in dark brown gravy and taken a bite out of it when an electronic whir caught his attention. In front of him, a whirl of photons coalesced into the slim, enticing figure of an attractive blonde female. A very scant pink and yellow outfit hid just enough of her to make the freighter Captain smile appreciatively. "My name is Shaliya," she said softly, pursing her lips just enough for Keyoun to raise an eyebrow. "Quark programmed me specifically to be your host for tonight."

"I hope he programmed you to be a whole lot more than just a host," grinned the Captain mischievously.

Shaliya crossed the short distance between them and bent over to offer him a nice view of her ample cleavage. She put an index finger confidently under his chin and lifted his face toward hers. "Of course," she said with an alluring smile. An exotic aroma of perfumed flowers drifted down toward the Bajoran and he inhaled the intoxicating vapors deeply. "I am programmed to do whatever you wish." As she continued beaming down at him, the loud snap of the exit door locking was briefly audible above the rush of the waterfall. "It's going to be just the two of us for the remainder of the evening."

"That's a neat trick," decided Keyoun cheerfully, pushing his plate in and wiping his lips with a napkin. "I really like that locking the door thing. Perhaps we should save dinner for later."

Shaliya was barefoot and stepped casually into the shallow waters of the stream running away from the waterfall, playfully kicking sunlit droplets in his direction. "Perhaps we should save dinner for _breakfast_…" she suggested seductively, tempting him to stand up and approach her.

_Then Shaliya simply disappeared into thin air._

"What in the name of…?" Captain Keyoun rose suspiciously to his feet as the entire holographic simulation surrounding him flickered erratically, lost power and suddenly vanished. Even the table and his chair disappeared, causing all three trays of food along with the bottle of wine to drop noisily to the floor below. Instinctively the Bajoran freighter commander reached for his weapon, but of course the "no weapons" policy on the Promenade had prevailed as always. Angrily he walked across the small holosuite toward the door and activated the exit mechanism. He received only an angry, electronic beeping in response. Growing angrier by the minute, Keyoun removed a Bajoran comm-badge from his pocket and activated it. "Keyoun to Quark," he snapped angrily. "This isn't funny you little fireworm… next time you're getting _thirty_ percent of our profits and not a fraction more!"

There was no response, and the Captain weighed his options as his ire rose even further. He was about to locate and begin tampering with the central control panel when the lights in the room dimmed to a level so low he could barely see. The hair under the ponytail on the back of his neck prickled as the room's temperature dropped noticeably and an eerie quiet settled over the room. With the door still locked and the nature setting shut down there was a sudden sense of danger in the air. It had grown so cold that Keyoun could see white wisps of vapor each time he exhaled.

_"YOU HAVE BETRAYED ME."_

Keyoun heard the words in his mind as well as the spoken sound. Sighing with relief he turned toward the origin of the voice and chuckled. "Oh," he said with relief. "It's you. How did you get here? This station is a long way from our usual meeting place."

_"YOU HAVE BETRAYED ME."_

The Bajoran fought back a surge of defensive anger. "I did _nothing_ of the sort. I temporarily diverted some of the equipment and profits to people who can open up all kinds of new markets for us. It may take a while longer, but trust me – we're all going to get rich. _Very_ rich."

_"YOU DIVERTED **MY** EQUIPMENT."_

The center of the room was shimmering and rippling as something began to appear there in the dimly lit holosuite. It was humanoid shaped, but robed completely in black with a hood shrouding its face. As the newcomer raised its hidden features toward Keyoun, two eyes that were red as burning coals flashed angrily in his direction. The Bajoran held up his hands with growing frustration as he studied the unexpected visitor closely. "If you give me two more weeks I can arrange to _double_ my deliveries," the Captain promised. "After that, the sky's the limit. Quark and I will be able to fill any sized order. _Any_ size." His voice had become a bit nervous as the unknown entity drifted slowly toward him, gliding gracefully across the floor instead of walking.

_"I DO NOT WANT MORE. I WANT WHAT WAS PROMISED IMMEDIATELY."_

The creature halted just inches away from him, and even with it standing so close that he could smell its fetid breath Keyoun still could not see any facial features. Its burning crimson eyes, however, held his attention almost hypnotically and he felt a cold, empty knot form in the pit of his stomach.

"I don't have it," the freighter Captain stated honestly. "I took the liberty of making the arrangements that will be necessary to supply you with whatever you need on a long term basis. In the meantime a small fraction of your merchandise deliveries will be delayed. Now what in the name of the Prophets is wrong with that?"

_"I AM ON A TIMELINE. YOU HAVE BETRAYED ME."_

Keyoun backed away from the alien creature, holding up his hands defensively and fervently wishing that he had found a way to keep a weapon with him. "I simply diverted some of the gravity generators to other vendors who work with Quark," he admitted. "All we need is a few more weeks." There was a sudden tremor of unbridled fear in his voice that Keyoun didn't like, a subtle loss of control that betrayed his growing discomfort. "The Ferengi will make all the arrangements, and when he's done a lot of that merchandise will have changed hands many times with a great deal of profit added to its selling price at each stage of the transfer."

_"I DON'T WANT TO BE RICH. I **WANT** MY EQUIPMENT."_

"You'll get it the instant it arrives. I will warp it directly into your sector," the Bajoran promised. "I swear it won't be long before…"

_"I WILL GET IT FROM SOMEONE ELSE." _

Once again the black robed creature began gliding forward and it raised its arms straight outward, seizing Keyoun by the shoulders. He tried to pull away from the thing that held him but its strength was iron firm. Snarling in anger, he swung a punch directed toward the other's mid-section and his fist struck something so hard that his knuckles began bleeding. The skin on them had split instantly upon impact. Ignoring the shock and pain he continued hammering away at the creature, but his blows became less and less fierce as it slowly pulled him closer in a gigantic hug. Standing well over seven feet tall, most of Keyoun's body vanished inside the soft, dark fabric of the alien creature's robes.

"_Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhgggggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_" Keyoun screamed in agony, his voice shattering the silence of the holosuite.

_Seconds later the freighter Captain's body exploded into thousands of tiny fragments._

_The creature vanished soon after._

* * *

"…and then I came back here, several hours later," Quark said to Odo. They were both standing in the center of the holosuite examining the colossal mess that had been left behind. "Captain Keyoun wasn't answering my pages and his holosuite time was up. I found the door locked, and after Rom brought me the equipment necessary to override the lockout we entered and found all of this…"

Several armed Bajoran security officers stood in the doorway watching the entire affair. Odo continued a careful survey of the room, picking up the half empty wine bottle and examining the amber fluid that still remained unspilled inside of it. "You found everything exactly the way it is now," asked Odo suspiciously. "You didn't tamper with anything?"

As eager to help as always when shady deals went awry, Quark shook his head. "Certainly not," he said firmly. "Did you check all of the transporter logs?"

"Yes," Odo replied tersely. "I haven't had an opportunity to review the sensor data from main Ops yet, but I think it's safe to conclude that no one entered this room after you left Keyoun in here. Not by using a conventional transporter anyway. The locked door therefore leaves us with a bit of a mystery." He tapped his Bajoran comm-badge, continuing to scowl at the scene in front of him. "Odo to Sisko."

The pause was a lot briefer than Odo expected so late in the evening. "_Sisko here_."

"We've had some trouble at Quark's tonight," the shapeshifter said briskly in reply. "A Bajoran freighter Captain named Keyoun was murdered in one of the holosuites."

"_Another killing?_"

Odo sighed. "Affirmative. That makes three unexplained deaths on the station in five days Commander."

"_Give me five minutes to dress, and I'll be over to have a look,_" declared Sisko with his usual candor.

"Acknowledged." Odo closed the transmission and shook his head while watching Rom pick up a small chunk of what looked like burned insulation.

"We worked _so_ hard, brother, preparing this celebration feast for Keyoun," the Ferengi told his brother. "And now it's all ruined… even my Katarrian layer cake has fallen. Look… it's gone all soft and spongy." He held up the brownish orange piece of debris so that Quark could have a closer look. Puzzlement crossed Rom's face as his brother instantly turned away with a look of complete disgust.

"That's _not_ a piece of Katarrian layer cake Rom," said Odo sternly. "It's a piece of _Keyoun_."

Rom shrieked and dropped the object, noting suddenly that there were thousands of various sized, similar pieces scattered around the area where Keyoun had last been standing. Both he and Quark backed away from the mess and hovered near the protection of the armed Bajoran security officers.

"What could have done this?" asked Quark curiously.

"I don't know," Odo replied honestly. "However, I think it would be wise at this point for us to wake Dr. Bashir too. Perhaps he can shed some light on what has happened here tonight."

"I hope so," agreed Quark. "But if he _had_ to go, at least Captain Keyoun paid me first."

The sharp look of rebuke that Odo directed toward the Ferengi caused him to retreat even farther behind one of the security guards for protection.


	2. Errand Of Mercy

**Star Trek: Reign Of Terror**

**Chapter II: Errand Of Mercy**

* * *

Deep Space Nine, Commander's Office, Stardate 48245.4

* * *

Sisko was busy studying an image of the crime scene and mentally reviewing all of the various details involved when his door chime sounded. "Come in," he stated brusquely without glancing up from the holosuite image. Major Kira entered along with Jadzia Dax, and both women paused in front of his desk waiting patiently until he completed his train of thought.

"Dr. Bashir's report concurs with that of Chief O'Brien," said Kira informatively. "There is absolutely nothing he could find that would explain why a humanoid body would simply 'come apart at the seams' and explode in such a manner. There are no traces of explosives, no evidence of directed energy discharges, absolutely nothing detectable that would leave us with even a minor clue as to what took place inside that holosuite..."

The Commander stroked his chin thoughtfully with one hand. "So we're stuck with the same lack of evidence as the previous two murders," he growled with obvious frustration. "There has to be _something_ out of the ordinary, or we wouldn't have a dead freighter Captain."

Jadzia nodded affirmatively. "There was," she replied. "Although there still isn't any direct evidence of violence, our internal sensors detected a massive graviton surge shortly after Quark and Rom left Captain Keyoun alone. The gravity inside that room temporarily increased to a level so high that it blew out the main power systems and disabled the active holographic program. As you know, we have been experiencing intermittent systems failures and unpredictable malfunctions for several weeks now. The list in our maintenance database includes quite a few minor gravimetric disturbances, but never something this bad. Until now, everyone thought that all of them were simple malfunctions caused by all of the work going on with our weapons upgrades. The Starfleet technicians are, after all, routing considerable power from our fusion generators to the new phaser arrays. I did some checking in our history files, and it turns out that higher than normal gravity fields were also logged at the precise time and location of the other two killings. So even without much else to go on, we have in fact established a definite pattern. I admit that this isn't a great starting point, but I think that you'll agree... it's better than nothing."

"Is there anything else, old man?" Sisko sighed, regarding her thoughtfully. His eyes temporarily drifted to the dark spots lining the edges of the skin on both sides of her attractive, feminine face. Jadzia's Trill ethnicity, along with the worm-like symbiont that she carried inside of her, granted her an insightful wisdom that spanned more than half a dozen standard humanoid lifetimes. In situations such as this one, it simply wasn't like her to come up with so little.

Dax shrugged her shoulders. "So far, Odo and Lt. Commander Eddington haven't discovered anything else that is relevant to this most recent murder. I don't know what to say," she admitted. "Normally, anything of significance would have immediately shown up on our internal sensors. I have a few ideas on how to enhance them to more closely monitor any future gravimetric anomalies - but that will only work _if_ this type of event occurs again. Until then, we're stuck with the classic 'murder inside a locked room' scenario. How it was done remains a mystery."

Odo's silhouette appeared in the doorway, and - over Jadzia's left shoulder - Sisko noticed him waiting rather impatiently and he promptly waved the shapeshifter into the office. The Constable's mood was extremely grim and intense as he entered, much more so than usual. Even under normal circumstances, the shapeshifter was usually uptight and more than a little bit overbearing. Murder, in particular, always seemed to elevate his determination to resolve a criminal matter swiftly and thereby maintain the peace. Crime was inevitable, particularly with so many travelers constantly moving on and off of Deep Space Nine. In Odo's eyes, however, perpetrators of any crime should be caught as soon as possible and face the consequences of their actions. He had always been a man who favored justice and the rule of law, and this had been a constant about his personality that remained unchanged over the years.

"What have you discovered, Constable?" asked Sisko with interest.

"Much less than I would have liked," admitted Odo, handing Sisko another data padd. "The victim was Keyoun Midic, owner and commander of the Bajoran freighter _Ha'Husia_. His ship is currently docked at airlock 'D12' and his crewmen are taking turns enjoying shore leave on the Promenade while awaiting the return of their Captain. After concluding a business arrangement with Quark, Keyoun was planning on making a cargo run into the demilitarized zone. The ship is carrying a full load of cargo and was scheduled to leave tomorrow. The vast majority of their cargo consists of items like floor plating, gravity generators and a sizeable array of spare parts most commonly used to repair space-based equipment."

"Is there anything that might be a motivation for murder?" wondered Kira. "We see a lot of similar equipment pass through the station on a regular basis... I can't imagine someone wanting to kill anyone over items like that. Most of it can be purchased virtually anywhere in the sector."

Sisko read quickly through the cargo manifest on the data padd, raising an eyebrow in surprise as he noticed the last item. "Perishable medication?" he said out loud, phrasing the statement like a question.

"Yes," Odo nodded in response. "The vaccine is the only thing on the list that stands out to me as suspicious right now. It's expensive, difficult to purchase, and has a limited period of viability spanning two to three weeks. That's why Keyoun's visit to the station was not scheduled to be an extended one. He either needed to get where he was going in a hurry..."

"...or the medication would lose both potency and value," Jadzia mused, finishing the sentence for him.

The name of the drug was not immediately familiar to Sisko. "Delacon-G?"

Odo harrumphed loudly, obviously not impressed. "I checked with Dr. Bashir. Delacon-G is a rare substance that has to be very carefully refined in a medical laboratory. It is normally used to inoculate some of the hardier humanoid species - Klingons and Vulcans, among others - against radiation poisoning." He paused, letting his words sink in before telling them the rest. "The drug provides immunity against very specific types of radiation that can be found commonly leaking out of subspace... usually in areas of very high gravity near stars and planetary gas giants."

"Aha," said Sisko with a triumphant flourish. "We have another connection to this latest murder."

"Do we?" Kira glanced first to Jadzia and then to Odo. "All we know is that some sort of gravitational disturbance was involved. What does that prove?"

"We also have the _Ha'Husia_," pointed out Sisko, smiling slightly. "It's still docked at airlock 'D12' with a cargo and crew that are waiting to go somewhere." He handed Odo's data padd back to him. "And I want you to find out where they're going, Constable."

Odo nodded in agreement. "I should caution you Commander," he warned. "These murders are occurring everywhere in this sector, not just on Deep Space Nine. There have been several additional related killings on Bajor and quite a few of them in other nearby star systems. Particularly in the DMZ colonies, there are literally hundreds of people who have gone missing. The reports of these incidents continue to increase with each passing day." The eyes on his odd, humanoid face met Sisko's. "Regardless of whatever or whoever is behind all of this, the problem is growing worse Commander."

"The missing people are probably victims of an aggressive, elevated Cardassian military attack against suspected Maquis members," guessed Kira. "Cardassians are well known for their ability to drag people off in the middle of the night. They're not known for distinguishing between those who are guilty and those who are merely suspects."

"I don't think that's the case this time around Major," Odo countered.

Kira placed her hands firmly on her hips. "What makes you so certain?"

"Because many of the missing colonists _are_ Cardassians," replied Odo firmly. "Their government is equally upset about what's been going on."

The room was silent for a few minutes as everyone thought about the situation further. "So what would be the next logical step, Benjamin?" Jadzia asked finally.

The Commander smiled confidently. "We find out everything we can about the _Ha'Husia_ and her intended flight plan," he declared. "And then we send her on her merry way, with Chief O'Brien as her new Captain. I'm also going to slip Major Kira and a Bajoran security team on board to watch the rest of the crew." He leaned back in his chair and placed his hands firmly behind his head, exhaling contentedly. "I want to know who shows up to collect that cargo."

* * *

Quark's Bar, Lower Level

* * *

"I'm sorry to hear that there's so little to tell regarding the latest murder," said Garak the Cardassian grimly as he watched Dr. Julian Bashir's reaction carefully. "We innocent civilians hear on Deep Space Nine are getting picked off one by one, and as usual there's apparently not much that Starfleet can do about it. Cardassian investigations, by comparison, are always much... quicker. And, I might add, significantly more efficient at capturing and prosecuting those who are guilty."

The two men were seated at their usual table, having their traditional weekly lunch together as they discussed the latest news and local gossip. Dr. Bashir regarded the exiled Cardassian tailor curiously, resisting the impulse to react defensively to Garak's latest barb. "You used to be an intelligence agent," he replied crisply, "and many people on this station believe that you still are. Perhaps _you_ could shed some light on what's been going on."

Garak laughed with obvious amusement. "I am a humble tailor, nothing more..." he insisted.

"Of course," growled Bashir, spooning some chicken broth from a bowl and blowing on it to more speedily cool the hot liquid. "The Cardassian military makes a habit of exiling simple tailors every day. That's why we have so many of them aboard Deep Space Nine."

Again the Cardassian smiled wryly with delight. "Really Dr. Bashir, you are getting _so_ much better at trading jabs with me," Garak observed. "I do believe you've learned a thing or to from our lunches together. They've made you a much better..."

"...cynic?" Bashir glanced up from his meal just long enough to meet the eyes of his shifty-eyed friend.

"_Realist_." Garak placed a special emphasis on his one word response. "Unfortunately, the answers to some mysteries must always remain a secret. That has always been the case with government affairs on any planet." His own plate was empty... he had finished eating long ago and stuck around purely to partake of the Doctor's company. "I was just hoping there would be some news as to who is doing the killing... it's disheartening to have to go to sleep every night holding a weapon. One never knows when the thing might go off by accident."

Dr. Bashir chuckled. "Engage the safety before going to bed." He continued eating and then a new thought suddenly struck him. "Weapons aren't allowed in the habitat area, are they?"

Garak shook his head negatively. "Engaging the safety would only make me _less_ safe," he declared proudly. "And _no_ Julian... civilians like me are not allowed to carry weapons anywhere aboard DS9. Not officially anyway, but one can never be too careful."

"That's a little too much information Garak," decided Bashir, returning his attention to his soup and the half-eaten remainder of a sandwich. "I don't want to know about that type of thing or I'll be obligated to report it to Odo." He continued eating until a shadow unexpectedly fell across the top of the table. Glancing up the Doctor redirected his attention toward a female, red-haired starship Captain standing next to them. She had a warm, confident smile on her face and extended a hand toward him.

"My name is Kathryn Janeway," the woman told him boldly. "Quark mentioned that you're the Doctor on this station. If you have a few minutes, I would very much like to ask you a few questions."

As she spoke Garak rolled his eyes and rose swiftly from his seat. "Leaving so soon?" asked Bashir curiously as he stood up and promptly accepted Janeway's handshake.

"I'm afraid it's time for me to return to my shop," the Cardassian said slyly, watching Janeway intently. "Your rank is a bit intimidating to a humble tailor like me Captain. We peons aren't usually graced with so formidable a presence here on the Promenade." He drifted off into the crowd of civilians surrounding them, leaving Janeway a bit perplexed by his odd behavior.

"Don't mind him," Bashir smirked. "I've known Garak for several years now, and he always behaves that way. The man has and always will be an enigma... even to me." He waved a hand casually in the direction of Garak's hastily vacated chair. "Please, have a seat and join me Captain."

* * *

Crew Quarters

* * *

Sisko was in his personal quarters enjoying some rare quiet time alone reading a book when Jadzia Dax paged him via his Comm-badge. Since his son Jake was in the middle of doing homework, the Commander moved into an adjoining bedroom for privacy. He seated himself on the edge of a bed near one of the windows, where intermittent flashes of ghostly light from outside immediately caught his attention. The sporadic flickering continued to illuminate the interior of the room with an eerie glow as Starfleet personnel busily working outside in EVA suits continued to weld new hardware into place along the exterior hull of the massive Cardassian space station known as Deep Space Nine. Occasionally a work pod would drift by, either pushing or towing additional huge metallic torpedo launchers and phaser cannons toward its assigned work crew.

Again his Comm-badge beeped for attention. "_Dax to Sisko... please respond_."

"This is Sisko," the Commander responded, speaking directly into the communicator. He lightly pressed the Comm-bade against the left breast of his uniform as he spoke, attaching it firmly to its normal location. "What's going on?"

"_We're detecting another anomaly Benjamin_," she responded, her voice sounding elated. "_There is a huge gravimetric distortion forming in the docking ring near airlock 'D12'_."

"That's where the _Ha'Husia_ is docked, isn't it?"

"_Exactly_," Dax responded. "_I've already alerted Odo and Lt. Commander Eddington... they promised to round up a security team and investigate immediately_."

"I'll meet them there," Sisko replied briskly. He returned to the main living area of his quarters and rubbed Jake's hair reassuringly. "I have to go to work Jake-O, but I'll be back. Do a good job on that homework assignment. Mrs. O'Brien will appreciate it."

"I will," Jake promised, smiling warmly in return. The smile promptly disappeared from his face as he watched his father attach a phaser pistol to his belt. "Be careful Dad," he said much more seriously, his concern for his father obvious.

"You know me," Sisko replied. "I don't take unnecessary chances. I'll tell you all about it later." He stepped out into the corridor and was gone a minute later, leaving Jake to stare vacantly at the textbook in front of him. Slowly but surely, the boy managed to overpower his concern for his Dad and return his attention to his assignment. It was difficult for him, but over time Jake was slowly but surely learning to cope with his father's hazardous line of work.

The Commander moved very swiftly, walking quickly toward the habitat ring and entering the 'D' section of airlocks. As he approached the _Ha'Husia_'s docking point, he noticed Data and Chief O'Brien patiently waiting for him.

"I've been filling Data in on our situation with the unknown murders, and he's extremely interested as to what could possibly be threatening this sector," pointed out the Chief informatively.

"We'd like to accompany you," added Data.

O'Brien smiled dryly. "Don't worry Commander... when entering an unknown situation like this one, I can assure you from personal experience that Data's android strength can come in extremely handy."

"Very well then, you two are welcome to join the party," rumbled Sisko ominously without pausing, his anticipation building as the three of them broke into a steady stride and quickly passed airlock 'D11'. In the distance ahead they could see the familiar forms of Odo, Michael Eddington and at least half a dozen Bajoran and Starfleet security guards doing their best to open the airlock.

A spurt of smoke and flame erupted from behind one of the wall panels to the right of airlock 'D12', tossing one of the security guards against the far wall. Odo quickly helped the man to his feet, moving him out of the way as Eddington struggled to shut down power to the inner doorway. An unexpected shower of glowing sparks left fading embers on the deck plating at their feet. "The gravimetric distortion inside this door has shorted out the controls," Eddington shouted angrily, glancing at an active tricorder that he held tightly in his left hand. "They're completely deactivated... _we can't get in!_"

A damaged power conduit inside the wall on the left side of the airlock finally gave out and overloaded, creating a larger explosion that blew both O'Brien and Data off of their feet. O'Brien took minor injuries only because Data instinctively moved in front of him at the last instant and shielded him with his stronger, android body. More flames licked hungrily from behind the walls, and the corridor quickly began to fill with coiling rolls of gray smoke. Even through the closed doorway, the high-pitched sound of fatigued metal could be heard shrieking in protest against the unexpected introduction of intense, focused gravity so close to the vulnerable airlock chamber.

O'Brien raised his smoke and sweat streaked face gracefully in response as he slowly stood up. "Thanks for the cover Data," he said with genuine sincerity. "I doubt I would have survived that without you."

"No," Data acknowledged, his expression uncharacteristically agitated. "You would not have."

The Chief studied his expression more closely. "What's the matter Data?"

"The disturbance taking place inside the freighter is not limited to gravitons," Data replied grimly. "Some of the residual background radiation is interfering with my cognitive abilities and my..." His voice trailed off unexpectedly and the android actually stumbled as he tried to move away from the damaged panel. O'Brien gripped his shoulder reassuringly and moved him quickly but surely away from the airlock. Beside them, the Commander watched with disbelief as the airlock continued to shake uncontrollably, noticeably shifting back and forth while the key supports comprising its metal superstructure struggled to hold together.

"Get out of my way," Sisko told Eddington sharply, pulling his phaser free and upping its intensity setting to maximum. "I'm going to use the manual controls to open this airlock."

"And _then_ what?" Eddington asked with interest.

"What do you think?" the Commander replied. "Then we're going in there."

* * *

Quark's Bar, Lower Level

* * *

One of Quark's Ferengi bartenders took Janeway's drink order and then promptly moved off to obtain her beverage of choice. "Raktajino?" she repeated, returning her attention to Dr. Bashir. "I've always been one to try new things, but seriously... _Klingon_ coffee?"

Bashir had finished eating and chuckled at her reaction. "A lot of us felt that way at first," he admitted. "But it's become a very popular drink here aboard DS9... primarily because the station runs on a 26 hour day and many of us end up taking a night shift more often than usual." He sighed heavily. "During some of those early morning hours, the extra potency of the Klingon blend can be very..."

_Before his very eyes, Captain Kathryn Janeway suddenly vanished._

"...helpful," Bashir finished softly. He stared at the empty chair where she had been sitting only seconds earlier, then whirled around in his own seat to study the rest of the crowd in the Promenade. Everything appeared totally normal, and he could see the Ferengi bartender at Quark's serving counter putting a cup of raktajino on a serving platter. Turning quickly back toward the Doctor's direction, the waiter began the short return journey toward his table. "Where did she go?" wondered Bashir as he scratched his head with annoyance. "She was sitting _right_ here in front of me."

"Where did _who_ go?"

The sound of Janeway's voice caused Bashir to return his attention to the opposite side of his table. She was sitting there, right in front of him, as though absolutely nothing unusual had taken place. Bashir's mind whirled with confused thoughts as he tried to make sense of the unexpected situation. "I... I guess... for a moment it appeared to me as though you had disappeared," admitted the Doctor. "Perhaps I should order a raktajino for myself."

The Captain held up one of the four pips from her collar. "I saw this drop from my uniform and bent down in time to pick it up before it rolled away," she replied coolly, snapping it back into place. "I didn't mean to catch you by surprise, Doctor."

"You didn't," Bashir said with a relieved sigh. "With the security and anxiety on this station so elevated these past few days, I haven't exactly been sleeping very well. I guess I'm just a bit fatigued."

Although he seemed - for the most part - to accept her explanation Janeway remained more than a little concerned. She had been watching Tom Paris sitting all by himself in a far corner of the bar ever since accepting Bashir's invitation to sit. He and Janeway had both agreed in advance that Paris would play some Dabo at Quark's and then isolate himself in the hopes that someone would grow curious and approach him. Paris would then push for a job or try to find a new 'friend' who could provide them with the information that they were looking for. But Tom had disappeared too, at the same time that she had. Fortunately no one in the crowded bar had even noticed the event. Deciding to risk staying in public for the moment, the Captain flashed Bashir one of her most confident, reassuring smiles.

"I would be extremely grateful if you would share with me everything that you know about the three people who were recently murdered on this station," she told him. "Particularly I am interested in your medical analysis and conclusions as to what exactly happened during the commission of those crimes."

Bashir raised an eyebrow. "I guess I'm not surprised, since we rarely have Starfleet Captains specifically assigned to this outpost. Everyone suspects that you were sent here on a mission from Starfleet Intelligence," he admitted. "Are you concerned that this might be a Dominion threat?"

"The Starfleet security data provided by Commander Sisko clearly shows that the Jem'Hadar _do_ have transporter technology with a maximum range extending much farther than our own systems currently allow," Janeway pointed out. "That alone could explain how someone got in and out of the holosuite."

"Maybe so, but I've never seen any evidence of _graviton_ surges during their use," the Doctor countered. "And even a Dominion transporter would have shown up on internal sensors. That's one of the reasons why Odo has been conducting a much larger investigation... he is hesitant at this point to rule out anything. Yes the Dominion and their Jem'Hadar soldiers have been hostile towards us and we could rightfully point at them and level accusations. But if we do that, someone attempting to deceive us would then be successful by playing on our fears and growing paranoia in that regard."

Janeway leaned forward and studied the Doctor's youthful, handsome features intently. "Please, tell me everything you know about this matter Doctor," she prompted him. "It is very important that you do so."

* * *

Airlock 'D12'

* * *

Michael Eddington stood at the ready with his tricorder whirring while Sisko used the manual controls to unlock the inner and outer airlock doorways. "There's still an atmosphere in there!" Eddington shouted above the roar of the flames and gravimetric waves that continued to punish the circular metal corridor around them. "However, life signs from the crew remain indeterminate due to interference from the distortion effect."

The Commander nodded stubbornly in reply as the inner door in front of him emitted a mechanical snapping sound and rolled open several inches. The large, round doorway was painted dark red with strategically placed windows that allowed people on either side of it to see what was happening. To most visitors the airlock doorways resembled a large, oversized gear. Even so, they were in fact a very reliable and proven method of allowing access to and from docked ships of all shapes and sizes.

Sisko glanced inside the airlock and saw only the smoke and flames from damaged electronic systems within. He temporarily hitched the phaser pistol back to his belt and used both hands to try and pull the airlock door open. His effort moved it a few more inches and then it jammed, causing the Commander to shout angrily in protest at his inability to get inside. Seconds later, Data appeared beside him and grasped the door firmly and pulled with significantly more strength than a normal humanoid. The sturdy metal comprising its frame screeched loudly in protest, but the door did finally roll far enough open to allow for entry.

Nodding to Odo and Eddington, the Commander entered the airlock followed closely by Data, Chief O'Brien and the entire security team. They paused briefly while Data once again used his strength to open the inner airlock door. The gravimetric distortion had diminished somewhat and continued to noticeably lessen with each passing minute, but the fire had overheated everything and sparks continued to fly from the damaged control systems.

Odo paused at the _Ha'Husia_'s outer hatch and tried the access controls. Glancing back at Sisko he shook his head negatively. "No response," he stated tersely. "The freighter's systems are damaged too."

Sisko waved him back and then fired his phaser directly at the hatchway, slowly but surely slicing a hole into the stressed metallic doorway just large enough to allow one person at a time to enter. White smoke poured back toward them in a small walkway already filled with smoke, and everyone except Data and Odo coughed repeatedly as they continued to move forward. To their surprise, the going got easier the farther into the ship they moved. When they reached the freighter's inner hatchway, Odo actually smiled wanly with obvious satisfaction. "This hatchway is still working," he declared, pressing the entry controls. In front of them, a pair of doors parted neatly in the middle and sluggishly opened.

"Take your men and spread out," Sisko told Eddington. "Odo, Data, Chief O'Brien and I will head for the bridge. I want the rest of you to check out all other key areas, including engineering. Verify that the ship's warp core is stable and then identify anyone injured. Contact Lt. Dax in Ops and order any casualties beamed immediately to the infirmary. "

"Acknowledged," replied Eddington. He and at half a dozen armed security officers split into two teams, one of which headed left while the other proceeded toward the right.

The Commander tapped his Comm-badge. "Sisko to Bashir."

The pause was longer than he expected, but Sisko was used to people having to break away from whatever they were doing - if only to seek some privacy before responding. "_Bashir here_."

"I need you back in the Infirmary Doctor. There has been an incident on one of the commercial freighters connected to the docking ring. We may have injuries, and if so we're going to transport them directly to the Infirmary."

"_Acknowledged Commander_."

* * *

The freighter's bridge was a shambles. It was quite clear immediately upon arrival that whatever had taken place aboard the _Ha'Husia_'s had occurred in its command center. Sisko, O'Brien and Data entered with weapons drawn while Odo trailed cautiously behind. The Constable rarely carried a weapon and - to Sisko's knowledge - had never even fired one. _One advantage of being a changeling_, the Commander decided silently. _You can transform yourself into whatever form is most advantageous for the situation_.

Every major system on board the bridge - aside from a few intermittent blinking lights - had gone dark. Like the airlocks they had passed through, smoke and flames were everywhere and most of the cargo vessel's crewmembers were lying flat on the deck unconscious. The metal walls and ceiling of the box-shaped bridge chamber had been noticeably distorted by the intense, focused concentration of gravity. Sisko and O'Brien were very experienced men and knew the drill in situations such as this one. Both swung their weapons in protective arcs and visually verified that the unknown event was over before proceeding to kneel and check for pulses on the unmoving bodies of the crew.

In the center command seat was a lone, conscious Bajoran male. He was sitting stiffly upright and shaking uncontrollably from shock and fear. The color had drained completely from his face and his eyes were wide with a terror that bordered on hysteria. Sisko finished checking the last crewmember and verified that the unconscious man was in fact still alive. Rising back to his full, broad-shouldered full height he approached the man in the center seat cautiously. "What has happened here?" he asked simply. "What is going on?"

The Bajoran turned slowly to face the Commander at the sound of his voice and his eyes struggled to focus. "_Please_," he stated intensely. His right hand grabbed Sisko's forearm and squeezed it tightly for support. "I am Levik Sunn, Captain Keyoun's first officer. Commander, you _must_ grant me immediate clearance to leave on my cargo run. I _have_ to make our deliveries as scheduled... we can't wait here any longer." Levik fought against the obvious urge to panic. "We've stayed too long already."

"Many members of your crew are still aboard Deep Space Nine on leave," Sisko responded briskly. "Those who are still here are injured, and you look like you've been through hell. Your ship has been damaged and is currently in no condition to travel anywhere."

"_Please!_" the Bajoran whimpered, his grip on the Commander's arm tightening. "You _have_ to let us go!"

Sisko stepped away from Levik Sunn so that he could talk privately with Odo and Chief O'Brien. "Constable, allow Dr. Bashir to treat the injured. After that I want you to interrogate each and every one of them, including the first officer here. We need to find out what happened."

Odo sighed noticeably. "I don't think they're liable to tell us anything useful, but I'll try Commander."

"Chief, I want you to get this ship repaired and ready to get underway as soon as possible. I'll contact Major Kira and ask her to work directly with the Bajoran government and make arrangements for you to take over command of this vessel. I want you to pick a supplemental crew of choice from our contingent on Deep Space Nine and then use them to help you follow this vessel's scheduled flight plan to completion. Your mission is to discover who picks up this cargo and why."

O'Brien shrugged his shoulders. "I'm sure the Major has the authority to set your plan in motion right away, sir. However, based on all that has happened lately, people are bound to ask a lot of questions. What are we supposed to tell them?"

"We'll tell them the truth as we understand it," Sisko decided. "You're going to assist the crew of a Bajoran freighter that has taken damage complete an important cargo run. The Delacon-G in the medical section is a perishable drug, so I believe it's vitally important that we assist the Bajorans in completing this errand of mercy before it's too late. Someone obviously needs anti-radiation medication and we need to find out who that is."

The bridge door snapped open and Michael Eddington appeared, surveying the damage to the bridge with dismay. "What has happened here today?" he asked with genuine confusion.

"Someone wants this vessel to move to its next destination as quickly as possible," the Commander said in response. "And they're willing to kill people to get it there."

* * *

**_Author's Notes:_ **Be sure to check out the "Reign Of Terror" section of my profile page! You may have to assemble the URL link and utilize the shortcuts for the image links, but there are lots of great new additional pictures of the Deep Space Nine layout. Cardassian design is extremely fascinating after all... there are almost no right angles to be found in their architecture!


	3. The Return Of The Archons

**_Author's Notes:_ **_In some ways, this novel is a sequel of sorts to my previous fic called "Dark Archon". The storyline this time around is original but does refer back to events, characters and major plot points from "Archon". That is why I recommend in each story description the correct order for reading them. The first three Trek stories can technically be read in any sequence and they would still make reasonable sense... but the overall experience is better if they are read in the order written. This story is different, since it is tied directly to "Archon". I highly recommend reading "Star Trek: Dark Archon" BEFORE venturing any farther into this territory._

_Also, as you read this Chapter I strongly encourage those of you who have watched as much Trek as I have to VISUALIZE the characters interacting. When reading Trek fiction, I can literally hear each character saying the words... the emphasis they place on certain words, tone of voice, etc. Some of the best stories I have ever read require me to SLOW down when I get to a chapter like this. There is a lot of dialogue, so pay close attention to what is happening and to what is being revealed. As usual, I hope you have as much fun reading this as I have had writing it. What you will read answers many questions generated by events from the first two chapters while introducing some eerie new ones._

_That's not a problem, since this is FAR from the final Chapter! Thanks for reading EVERYONE!!_

* * *

**Star Trek: Reign Of Terror**

**Chapter III: The Return Of The Archons**

* * *

Deep Space Nine, Runabout Pad 'D'

* * *

Data was sitting quietly in the _Yellowjacket_'s cockpit making full use of its sensor capabilities when the hatch behind him unexpectedly snapped open. The android glanced up briefly and recognized Chief O'Brien standing outside, flanked on the right by a concerned looking Doctor Julian Bashir. Deactivating the runabout's sensor console, Data nodded to the two men and politely invited the pair inside the sturdy science vessel. "Did you discover anything new?" he asked Bashir with interest. "How are the injured crewmembers of the _Ha'Husia _doing?"

"They're resting right now, but I expect that all of them will be back on their feet soon," the Doctor replied briskly. "Apparently the severest areas affected by the gravitational anomaly were centralized inside of the airlock and at a small point near the rear of the freighter's bridge. Otherwise the crew's injuries would have been much, much worse. Most of them lost consciousness from a lack of oxygen due to strained breathing when their weight unexpectedly increased tenfold." He shook his head. "Then there's the First Officer, who never lost consciousness but apparently saw some sort of dark, evil spirit with brightly flaming red eyes. I put him on anti-anxiety medication for the time being, but he's still hysterical and convinced that 'a creature' is coming back to kill him."

The android digested the information silently for a moment. "So once again - aside from the physical damage - we are left with a complete mystery." A thought struck him and Data's eyes shifted to meet O'Brien's gaze. "What brought you two here Chief?" he asked with sudden, obvious interest. "It was my understanding that you had already taken a closer look at my small ship."

"Yeah, I did." O'Brien's response was extremely moody, and his eyes flashed back and forth at the runabout's active consoles. His attitude was obviously suspicious and Data took careful note of it.

"What is the matter Chief?" he persisted. "Your expression suggests something is bothering you."

O'Brien responded by detaching a hand phaser from his belt and pointing the weapon directly at Data. "I want to know _why_ you have an almost undetectable dampening field surrounding your warp core," he stated bluntly. "And I also want you to tell me what you're doing here on Deep Space Nine and what else you personally know about the murders here." The Chief of station Operations smiled dryly. "If I like what I hear, I may allow you to explain yourself further before reporting what I know to Major Kira and Commander Sisko."

Data's expression remained blank, betraying nothing. "The _Yellowjacket_ is a completely new design," he stated simply. "Starfleet Intelligence is testing a dampening field on the Knighthawk-Class runabout to determine whether or not we can shield an enemy from accurately plotting a power curve. If a hostile species cannot ascertain our true strength, most will be less likely to attack our ships."

The Doctor said nothing, and O'Brien actually looked visibly irritated at the response he received. "You were _never _a good liar Data," he said, snapping out each word in a more strongly worded, extremely accusatory tone. "I have my doubts about you, specifically as to what you're doing here on DS9. You're running out of time to tell me what exactly is going on here."

There was a pause before the android answered. "Perhaps you should first tell me exactly what you have figured out," Data suggested. "If you do, I promise to be more forthcoming and respond truthfully to any question that you ask me."

Bashir's expression was extremely hesitant. "I don't think this is a good idea Chief," he admitted. "Commander Data has many times our physical strength. I think he's just stalling until he has an opportunity to overpower us."

"I assure you that I am not stalling," Data replied firmly. "It is vitally important that you do not contact the Commander regarding this manner... at least not until I explain the situation further."

O'Brien waved the phaser angrily. "Then _explain_ yourself already!" he shouted fiercely. "Why do you have a dampening field around your warp core _on a ship design that Starfleet hasn't even released into service yet?_" He took a deep breath and exhaled sharply before continuing. "I checked Data... I sent a subspace query to verify your story, and there isn't a single runabout of this class currently assigned to active Starfleet duty."

Data nodded upon hearing the news. "You are very observant and a good detective Chief."

"Not really." O'Brien shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "During my inspection, I attempted to access the warp core and take a look at any improvements that have been made. When your security system locked me out I got suspicious and ran a tricorder sweep. That's when I detected the dampening field... a very advanced shield that is so expertly woven around your engine core that I would never have known it was there without a deliberate, meticulous scan."

"It is not simply a dampening field," Data informed them. "The shield projects a sensor echo which your tricorder should read as the output from a standard runabout warp core. In reality, the engine and other systems on board this ship are significantly more advanced than even that of a Knighthawk-Class vessel. This ship is much more than it appears to be at first glance."

Bashir's growing concern was obvious. "What is going on here?" he asked in a demanding tone. "If Starfleet didn't assign you here, then _who_ did?"

A slow smile crawled across the android's face. "I am a copy of the original Data, constructed and living as one of his descendants in the latter half of the 29th century. In that time period my current assignment is to command a Starfleet Timeship called the _Relativity_. Its current crew and I have standing orders to monitor the timeline for minor anomalies that periodically need correcting. We are also required to travel through time and intervene on the rare occasions when we detect evidence of temporal tampering."

The explanation was clearly not what O'Brien expected. "You're a _time_ traveler?"

Data nodded in reply. "I am," he stated simply. "Approximately one year ago in what is my past, I led my ship and crew on a successful mission to correct a major temporal incursion led by aliens from our distant future. The invading force was attempting to reshape this galaxy for their own use, and my crew and I were able to stop them before their changes became irreversible."

"Obviously you were successful," Bashir snorted with noticeable disbelief.

"Usually I take my entire ship and crew along with me," Data continued, "but this case is proving to be a major puzzle without an easy resolution. Someone is tampering with current events taking place aboard your space station and at other strategic points located elsewhere in this sector. Despite our best efforts, my crew and I have been unable to discover how these changes are being made." He waved his hands in simulated android frustration. "The timeline here in your present is somehow being altered to change my future, but there is absolutely no evidence we can find as to how this is being done."

"Really." Bashir once again was the first to respond, even though both he and Chief O'Brien obviously remained skeptical. "If your story _is_ true and you are a time traveler, then how do we know for certain that _you're_ not the one doing the tampering? You're taking a big risk simply by showing up here and interacting with people from your past."

The android's response once again caught them by surprise. "I will prove it to you," he promised, tapping a button on the cockpit console in front of him. "Commander Ducane, have you been listening?"

"_Affirmative. I have locked onto both bio-signs in your vicinity and am standing by_."

"Very well." Data returned his attention to Miles O'Brien and Julian Bashir. "Transport my two cynical colleagues here to your location in the 29th century and give them a comprehensive tour of the _Relativity_. Brief them on the timeline changes, including our standing operating procedure during this type of crisis and allow them to examine our sensor logs. I will stand by here until you are ready to beam them back."

"Now wait a minute," insisted O'Brien, waving his phaser menacingly for emphasis. "You're not seriously suggesting that you have the capability to..." The Chief's voice faded quickly away as both he and Dr. Bashir were suddenly surrounded in a bright blaze of azure transporter energy. The two of them faded away in a wash of light, leaving Data alone in the runabout. Swiveling in his seat so that he once again faced forward, the android reactivated the vessel's sensor console and continued his scans.

* * *

Commander Thomas Ducane kept Chief O'Brien and Dr. Julian Bashir in the 29th century for well over two hours, real time. Throughout their absence 'Captain' Data remained very busy making use of the _Yellowjacket_'s sophisticated sensor system and main computer. He used the advanced technology to thoroughly scan every nook, crevice and person aboard and in the immediate vicinity of Deep Space Nine. His runabout was Knighthawk-Class in look and name only... in actuality the small vessel was a highly advanced temporal shuttle capable of traversing both time and space. Although the dampening field around the _Yellowjacket_'s engineering section successfully projected the illusion of a standard warp drive, a highly powered artificial quantum singularity actually hovered within the central core.

Having commanded the _Relativity_ for slightly more than twenty standard months, Data was extremely familiar with the procedure of introducing people from the past to the concept of time cops. He had deliberately left gaps in his dampening field to attract the attention of Chief O'Brien because he desperately needed experienced recruits to assist him... and specifically on this occasion he needed people lower in the chain of command. Even so his minor gamble had almost backfired completely on him. O'Brien had almost contacted Sisko first, in which case Data would have been forced to find a way to intervene. He also hadn't expected the Chief to approach him with a drawn weapon, but then the Miles Edward O'Brien that his ancestor had known had been a much jollier fellow.

The original Data had known the Chief long before he had been assigned to a Cardassian space station located so close to Cardassian territory. Further, the growing problem with the Dominion - an empire within easy striking distance from the other side of the nearby wormhole - had no doubt significantly added to growing tension in the region. It was therefore perfectly understandable to Captain Data as to just why the Chief had become so suspicious so quickly, reacted with more than a little paranoia and pulled a phaser on him. Out here near Bajor, it was blatantly obvious that people didn't live very long if they weren't extremely careful.

As scan after scan detected nothing out of the ordinary, Data's mind rapidly filed through the array of protocols that Commander Ducane would be using to orient O'Brien and Bashir. First they would receive a tour of the Timeship, followed by a stern warning forbidding the discussion of time travel and this specific mission with others. Finally, both men would be shown clear evidence that there was indeed a temporal incursion in progress on Deep Space Nine and that the future was indeed being altered by changes to its past. Ducane was an experienced professional, and he would also make certain to point out to both officers that repeated transporter trips through time were often dangerous.

The mystery behind the latest incursion was the major reason why Data and his support staff had made the decision to keep the _Relativity_ in the future for the duration of this mission. The Captain alone had traveled back in the _Yellowjacket_ and planned to interact directly with the Starfleet personnel assigned to Deep Space Nine. Using this strategy would permit him to keep a very low profile and necessitate only one trip through time for O'Brien and Bashir. Once they came back they would know what they needed to know in order to help him, but Data would still have to be extremely careful. Even though he would have the assistance he so badly needed from people officially under Sisko's command, there were still things about the future and those who lived there that he was officially restricted from talking about. Data could ask O'Brien and Bashir for help, but his ability to return that assistance was severely limited.

_It would have to be sufficient._

Data had closed the outer hatch so that the sound of the return transport would not attract unwanted attention. Eventually Ducane signaled him that all was well. Second later both O'Brien and Bashir materialized behind him, and Data turned in his seat to greet them with his small, dry smile and what he hoped would be perceived as a confident nod. "Welcome back to the 24th century," he told them.

O'Brien still looked far too suspicious for Data's taste, but his mood had obviously mellowed since his phaser was now holstered. "We have questions... and _plenty_ of them," the Chief told Data bluntly.

The android responded by waving them both toward a pair of empty seats positioned just behind the forward cockpit. "Ask your questions."

"You're _not_ the real Data from the _Enterprise_," O'Brien began, pointing an accusatory finger at the android. "You're a starship Captain from the future whose primary mission is to protect the timeline."

"That is correct Chief."

"And you don't know any more about what is currently happening aboard Deep Space Nine than the rest of us... only that a series of unexplained murders is gradually altering the future?"

"That is also correct."

"Why don't you know who is responsible?" wondered Bashir, speaking up just as forcefully as O'Brien had. "If history ends up successfully rewritten, then shouldn't the updated records in the future tell you precisely _who_ interfered and changed things?"

"Normally that would be the case," replied Data tersely. His tone of voice was as close to frustration as his android emotion chip would allow it to become. "However, the events taking place in this sector and aboard Deep Space Nine are not a normal temporal incursion. I have handled several of these matters, one of them quite serious, since assuming command of the _Relativity_. On this occasion there appears to be no detectable trace of temporal tampering. Our records of the original timeline, when compared to our newest scans, clearly show the unexpected presence of events and changes that were absent from previous scans. That is why I decided to show up myself and pretend to be the real Data from this timeline... I needed to make a much closer, on-the-spot inspection and interact with specific individuals in order to more closely assess the situation and determine what is taking place."

"How can history simply _change?_" wondered O'Brien, scratching his curly, sandy hair with dismay. "There has to be a cause. There _has_ to be!"

"I concur." Data picked up a data padd and handed it to the Chief. "This is downloaded telemetry from my latest scans, taken using the _Yellowjacket_'s advanced sensors during your brief visit to the future. Whatever is occurring here undoubtedly does have a cause and a responsible party manipulating each event. However - aside from the unusual gravimetric anomalies that we have detected on several occasions - even with 29th century sensors I have not been able to detect anything else out of the ordinary. It is a frustrating paradox I find myself faced with, to say the least."

O'Brien studied the data for several minutes and then handed the padd to Bashir so that he too could study the report. "Ducane specifically stated that we are not to approach Commander Sisko about any of this... that we must help you on our own time and in total secrecy. Why _wouldn't_ you want the assistance of a higher ranking official?" The Chief's brow furrowed. "The Commander can clear a lot of obstacles out of your path and permit you considerably more flexibility during the course of this investigation than Julian or I ever could."

Data actually chuckled at the suggestion, an action that drew a startled reaction from Bashir. "I wish I could tell him," he admitted, leaning back in his chair and steepling the fingers of both hands together. "I mentioned earlier that I was involved in another temporal incursion about a year ago. That too was a very dangerous mission and - in order to successfully resolve it - I had no choice but to recruit Commander Sisko as part of my mission team. I transported him away from his post here on Deep Space Nine... from a point several years in your future. I needed him specifically so that he could assist me in communicating with the aliens who dwell inside the nearby wormhole."

Bashir groaned and shook his head with growing dismay. "I get it... if we tell the Commander about this and enough of his history here in the past changes, we could end up interfering with his future and the other mission that you resolved successfully."

"Correct," Data acknowledged, "and - I might add - very expertly analyzed Doctor. Corrections in time do not always take place in the same linear sequence with which we live our lives. When I initially recruited the Commander, he had no knowledge of Timeships or 29th century Starfleet. I would prefer for things to remain that way if at all possible... in this timeframe he knows only the original Data. Thus Benjamin Sisko can continue to function as the station Commander, but his help will have to be within the scope of his normal duties and without any specific knowledge of me or my true mission here. The future has already begun to change as a direct result of the murders and disappearances in this sector. I have therefore been working steadily to undo the damage as much as possible while simultaneously attempting to determine the root cause of all this and put a stop to it."

"I suppose I can't tell Keiko or Molly either," groaned O'Brien.

Data smiled. "For obvious reasons I would prefer that you did not." He paused briefly, allowing them to mentally digest the sudden, massive amount of responsibility that he had unexpectedly placed upon them. "Think carefully for a minute Chief. Commander Sisko wants you to take command of the _Ha'Husia_ and complete its cargo run. Whoever threatened its First Officer during the recent gravimetric disturbance is likely the guilty party responsible for the timeline changes. We need to find out who or what that is as expeditiously as possible in order to prevent that enemy from further altering Alpha Quadrant history."

"The Commander will get suspicious," promised O'Brien. "And I truly don't like the idea of keeping secrets from him. That could come back to haunt Julian and me... it could come back to haunt us big time if things don't work out."

"All I ask is that you try Chief. Simply carry out the orders Sisko has already given you... you don't have to lie about anything. I will contact Commander Sisko and offer to follow you in the _Yellowjacket_. Given the original Data's considerable tactical experience and this runabout's obvious new capabilities, he will likely approve my request to provide support for your mission. I will also request that he allow Tom Paris to join your team aboard the _Ha'Husia_. We do, after all, have to sneak him into the demilitarized zone so that he can make contact with the underground Maquis leaders there."

O'Brien and Bashir discussed the matter further with Captain Data for another hour before agreeing - at least tentatively - to assist him with his covert operation. They were preparing to leave the runabout when a final, persistent though struck the Chief. "I have two more, minor questions Data," he stated, his tone obviously inquisitive. "The way my mind works these days, I don't think I'll be able to sleep nights unless I ask about them right here and now."

The android nodded. "What else do you need to know?"

"First. What's the rest of the story with your passengers... Captain Janeway and that Paris fellow? Did you recruit _them_ from the past too?"

"No," the android replied smoothly. "They are holograms wearing mobile photonic emitters." He pointed at his own head for emphasis. "The personality matrices for both holograms are stored within a special database inside the active memory of my positronic brain. Human personalities are very complex and far too sophisticated for the mobile emitter technology if I want accurate recreations. The model used to create them is based completely on very specific, very detailed copies of human minds that were made from the real people who assisted me in the resolution of the _Relativity_'s last major crisis."

Bashir raised a startled eyebrow at the announcement. "You _copied_ the people who helped you?"

"I personally did not," Data responded, correcting the Doctor's comment. "But I have powerful friends from my own future who also assist in maintaining the integrity of the timeline. Captain Janeway has made several trips through our transporter already, so recruiting her again would have threatened both her immediate health and long-term safety. I therefore made the decision to program the two holograms using newly perfected technology and then linked a pair of photonic emitters to my own consciousness via a Borg-like subspace communications buffer. Their minds are - in essence - working in parallel with my own consciousness inside my neural net. All three of us can thereby remain in full communication with each other even as I sit here with the two of you, privately isolated inside the _Yellowjacket_."

"That's an _incredible_ engineering achievement," decided O'Brien, visibly impressed. He pointed in a general direction outside of the runabout. "So the holograms are out there, walking around wearing these mobile emitters... and you can see and hear _everything_ that they do?"

Data smiled in affirmation. "Yes, I am in constant real-time communication with them." He smiled. "For example, Captain Janeway just asked me to say 'hello' and welcome you both to our team."

"You're _not_ serious!" Doctor Bashir said emphatically, looking a little paler than usual. Even so he kept his composure. "And here I thought technology here in the 24th century was impressive."

"This is indeed a very serious matter," the android declared with dogged determination. "I am the sole representative selected by Starfleet on this occasion to travel back in time and investigate this anomaly. It therefore seemed like a good idea for me to have the capability to be in multiple places at once. The two holograms allow me to spread out and observe Deep Space Nine from three different perspectives, all while simultaneously interacting with their personalities. I have also relied on their counsel since both of the original people were from this general timeframe. Both are experienced Starfleet officers and the proven reactions of each hologram are at least 99.99995 accurate - limited of course to their experiences up to the point where the original humans were copied."

"Astonishing," Bashir commented, shaking his head back and forth with disbelief as he tired to digest the concept. "You have _copies_ of real people walking around as holograms on this station." He glanced up at Data as a sudden thought struck him. "Is that why I thought I saw Captain Janeway disappear on the Promenade? Did she in fact actually vanish?"

"It is quite probable that she did," acknowledged Data. "During the incident at the _Ha'Husia_'s airlock, the gravimetric disturbance and accompanying radiation surge temporarily disrupted my neural net. The interference lasted only a brief instant until I moved out of the way... however that event probably occurred right around the time that you noticed a disruption in the hologram."

"Which brings me to my _second_ question," said O'Brien. "How do you expect to get away with all this? Where is the real Data... and for that matter the real Captain Janeway... the real Tom Paris? They're _all_ still alive and well and living in this time period, are they not?"

"They are." Data paused, weighing carefully how much more he could risk telling them. He was pretty certain that he had won over the confidence of both the Doctor and Chief, but if he hadn't he had to prepare for the undeniable possibility that one or both of them would decide to alert Commander Sisko. If they chose to do so then he had to be in a position to control the situation, and holding out at least some of the full truth was one way for him to do just that. Whatever else happened, his mission was to protect the original timeline as closely as possible. All other objectives were always secondary during such a crisis.

"So what happens if one of them shows up _here?_" O'Brien wondered. "That would blow your carefully orchestrated plan all to hell for certain..."

"It is unlikely that any of them will be reassigned to DS9," responded Data firmly. "History has not yet been altered significantly, and the 'real' Lt. Commander Data is serving on board the _Enterprise_. Captain Janeway is currently stationed at the Utopia Planetia shipyards near Mars as she prepares to take over command of a new starship. Tom Paris is a convicted Maquis rebel currently serving out his sentence at a New Zealand penal colony on Earth." He leaned forward intently. "I ask that you please take my word on this and do not issue any additional subspace requests for verification. Any such transmissions will simply provide you with the exact information I have just shared with you and risk alerting Starfleet that something out of the ordinary is transpiring here. No one else must know about my real mission objective, or where I have traveled from."

"We'll do our best to assist you," O'Brien promised. "Ducane's and his sensor log database convinced me of your sincerity."

Doctor Bashir nodded in complete agreement. "It sounds like we have similar goals."

"We do indeed," agreed Data firmly.

* * *

The android Captain from the future remained in the runabout long after the departure of his two new allies. His body did not require the rest necessary to revitalize a biological humanoid, but 'sleep' was still a voluntary process that he permitted himself occasionally during periods when his duty schedule was lighter. The neural net that formed his positronic matrix had been designed using a process very similar to a biological brain, and he had learned over the years that Data-Class androids - like their human counterparts - possessed a very powerful subconscious.

Data deliberately permitted himself the android equivalent of a thirty minute catnap in order to allow his subconscious to more fully explore sounds and images he had observed that his conscious mind might normally ignore. He had used the process before in order to expand the creative abilities that his android predecessors had perfected over the years. The original Data had experimented quite liberally with the sleeping process ever since he had first met with Doctor Bashir during an _Enterprise_ layover at Deep Space Nine. The memories from that long ago encounter were still stored in the Captain's permanent memory and he decided to access them, reliving the experience and remembering those days.

After precisely thirty minutes he snapped out of the sleeping stage with a disappointing lack of fresh ideas. Less than ten seconds after he roused himself there was a brief knock on the _Yellowjacket_'s hatch, followed by the electronic hiss of the doors opening. The Captain Janeway hologram had been waiting patiently outside, and she stepped into the runabout with a confident smile. "I wish I would have had this neural link capability during my days on _Voyager_," she informed him, chuckling softly. "It would have been nice if my crew had simply _known_ when it was okay to interrupt their Captain and when not to."

Data raised a hand in warning. "Be careful about talking about things that have not happened yet in this time period," he cautioned sternly. "If someone overhears you, it will only raise suspicion."

"There's absolutely no one else out there," Janeway countered, triggering the door controls and closing the hatchway. "The entire 'D' section of the docking ring has been completely evacuated. I checked with Lt. Dax in Ops, and she mentioned that they already have a repair team scheduled to begin repairs on the _Ha'Husia_ and its adjoining airlock. However, they're going to have the EVA teams work on the exterior hull first, so at least for the moment we have this entire section of the station completely to ourselves."

As he had done before, Data gestured politely and offered Janeway a seat. "As you already know, I was able to recruit both Chief O'Brien and Dr. Bashir to our cause," he reminded her. "I am glad that I agreed with Commander Ducane's suggestion to temporarily beam them into the future... it was the fastest way of convincing them both that we are indeed who we claim to be."

"I was a bit surprised that you told them as much as you did," declared Janeway. "Mr. Paris will play the role that he is meant to in this matter and talk about none of this, but it might help me to better interact with this station's crew if we further defined our guidelines."

Data shook his head in disagreement. "I have full confidence in your judgment," he told her. "Further I can always transmit a mental red flag if I am monitoring events from your perspective and notice something that requires your attention. I trust that you will return the favor."

"Of course." She took a deep breath and nodded with satisfaction. "The first part of your plan has certainly worked well enough. You successfully prevented Chief O'Brien's unexpected death at the airlock and restored his place in the original timeline. Already our presence here has applied a major correction to the altered version."

"I almost inadvertently betrayed both you and Mr. Paris in the process," noted Data with a dry smile. "There was no way to predict that the interference from the gravimetric turbulence would interfere with our link. Fortunately the attention of the crowd on the Promenade was focused on all of the other activity taking place there instead of the two of you." He folded the fingers of both hands together and paused just for a few seconds. "I also approve of your suggestion to bring Mr. Paris along with us. That has allowed me to successfully prevent Michael Eddington from uncovering Lt. Tuvok's true identity."

Janeway sighed. "It's too bad that we can't tell anyone here about Eddington's secret loyalty to the Maquis. It would save Sisko _so_ much time and trouble..."

Data waved a cautioning index finger at her. "That revelation would continue changing history instead of correcting it," he responded bluntly. "They will discover his treachery for themselves soon in any case. Unfortunately, the murders have forced Eddington to postpone a vacation that would have kept him off the station during Tuvok's arrival next week. That change is minimal in terms of altering the overall timeline, but his presence here when he should have been on leave will lead directly to his discovery of Tuvok as the actual undercover Maquis agent. Eddington's contacts in the demilitarized zone have, after all, warned him to be on the lookout for a covert Starfleet operative."

"Showing him Tom Paris a week early _is_ the perfect solution," nodded Janeway in agreement. "Eddington is about to unleash the entire Maquis underground on a search for a person who is back on Earth, already incarcerated and serving time in a New Zealand penal colony. With his attention focused on Paris and so many other matters, Tuvok will be able to slip past DS9 security masquerading as a crewman on a civilian vessel and join Chakotay's team."

"You may be a hologram, but you are still a very precise copy of the original Captain Janeway," Data pointed out. "By protecting Tuvok's undercover assignment, you are in essence fighting for your own future just as I am struggling to retain mine. Needless to say, if Tuvok does not end up in the Delta Quadrant with _Voyager_, Starfleet history will be significantly affected." Next to his right arm, the _Yellowjacket_'s sensors continued their non-stop scan of the station, their study of the Starfleet workers floating outside in a zero-g environment and the immediate area near the wormhole entrance. The colored indicator lights on the central console continued to flicker intermittently as they relentlessly probed for new information, but nothing new had been detected since the most recent disturbance at airlock 'D12'.

Janeway sat quietly in thought for a moment. Although she and Data could merge their thoughts and converse at android speed, they had decided against doing it except during the times when they were apart. Now that this version of the _Voyager_ Captain was actively living a different life than that of the original human, the differences between the holographic personality and those of the original Janeway would exponentially increase. There was no way to predict how far a hologram's reasoning and decision-making process would waver from the original person under these circumstances. Partaking in normal conversations at a regular humanoid rate of speed was one certain way that Data could slow the inevitable change. Wherever and whenever possible, he wanted this hologram behaving like the real Kathryn Janeway... like the human being that had originally been copied.

"The next step is obvious," Janeway decided, breaking the brief silence. "We have to follow Chief O'Brien and the _Ha'Husia_... whoever is changing history obviously wants that cargo very badly or they wouldn't have so blatantly threatened the ship's First Officer after first killing off its Captain." She smiled wryly, and one corner of her mouth curled upward slyly. "This whole matter remains one big puzzle for me," she continued. "How can someone introduce changes into a timeline _without_ using time travel? I keep asking myself how in the heavens anyone could possibly manage that."

"There are two possibilities," stated Data definitively. "Either our unseen enemy has the ability to conceal their temporal incursions, or else the advanced 29th century sensors aboard this runabout are simply incapable of detecting them. I have had to remind myself on occasion that sensors identify only what they are programmed to detect. There are many documented cases in Starfleet history where something new and unknown fooled our sensors simply because we had not previously encountered that particular life form or energy signature."

"What about the Preserver network?" Janeway asked curiously. "Have you thought about accessing its resources? The sensor capabilities available in that realm would no doubt transcend even your runabout's 29th century technology."

"For the moment, Commander Ducane and I are unwilling to utilize it unless we have no other option," Data informed her. "My most recent communication with Frank Roberts - just prior to our arrival here - went extremely well. Roberts transmitted to me his database records of all Starfleet personnel from our last mission, so I can create additional holograms to assist us if and when we need them." He smiled his odd little android smile again and glanced mischievously at Janeway. "If the need arises, I can even create a hologram of a slightly older but wiser Sisko."

"That would catch him by surprise. I can't imagine meeting a future version of myself," laughed Janeway, shaking her red-haired head back and forth at the prospect. "If that ever happened, I'm pretty certain the Janeway with seniority would be extremely demanding and insist on giving _all_ the orders."

"For now we have exactly what we need," Data continued. "The Temporal Integrity Commission in my time has scheduled regular meetings to investigate this situation and define guidelines for my use of the Preserver network... if we end up needing it. In the interim they have left open the option for me to access its resources if my Captain's instinct advises me to do so." He shrugged casually. "In his own time, Commander Roberts has also added our crisis here to the official agenda governing the next meeting of the Preserver Council. They may live 5.2 million years in our very distant future, but what happens to us does inevitably affect Preserver history as well. Therefore they are understandably committed to assisting us in the rapid resolution of this matter."

"The major problem we face is centered directly on the conditions during which this unknown entity manifests itself. Even you with your enhanced strength encountered a great deal of difficulty fighting your way through the disturbance at the airlock. In each documented case thus far, use of gravimetric fluctuations has proven to be a very effective defense mechanism... it certainly keeps unwanted intruders at arms length."

"Whoever is interfering with history will not get away with that strategy again," Data promised sternly. "If and when another gravimetric disturbance is recorded, I plan to access the Preserver Network and use its capabilities to intervene. Our unknown will remain an unknown only as long as we allow it to."

"How is Commander Roberts, your android counterpart in the future?" wondered Janeway. "Are things still peaceful 5 million years hence?"

"As far as I know," Data replied honestly. "He made no mention of any difficulty there."

Janeway smiled at the news and rose from her seat. "I'm headed back to the Promenade," she informed him. "There is a lot going on, and I want to keep a close eye on Quark."

The android nodded. "The Ferengi bartender is unquestionably at least peripherally involved in all of this."

* * *

Deep Space Nine, Corridor outside the O'Brien Quarters

* * *

Miles Edward O'Brien paused outside the entrance to his quarters and took several deep breaths. As he did everyday since accepting his post as Chief of Operations aboard Deep Space Nine, O'Brien mentally brushed aside his work persona and instantly switched gears as he transitioned coolly to family mode. He entered his quarters and was immediately surprised to find Keiko already present... usually she spent Wednesday afternoons at her small school checking over her students' homework assignments and preparing the schedule for the second half of her week.

Keiko smiled warmly upon seeing him, her attractive Earth Asian features looking as stunning as ever. She was wearing a simple white blouse and medium-length dark skirt, looking very much the station school teacher. In his heart, O'Brien had always been certain beyond any doubt that marrying her had been the smartest decision he had ever made.

"Daddy's home... _hi Daddy!_" giggled a small girl, barely taller than O'Brien's knees. She ran across the room toward him with her long dark hair flying behind her and wrapped both arms around his right leg, hugging the appendage more tightly than he ever would have thought her capable.

"Hi Molly, how are you?" O'Brien asked, studying her child-like, cherubic features curiously. Her normal routine greeting him was much different today and as he looked down at her small upturned face he detected anxiety in her small, almond-shaped eyes. "Don't I get my usual smile today?"

"Okay," she replied moodily, flashing him a very awkward, forced smirk. "The other kids at school say it's not safe here on Deep Space Nine any longer. Can we move?"

O'Brien chuckled, remembering his own similar fears of the unknown as a child. He caught Keiko's brief, concerned in his direction as he reached down to pick his daughter up. "Give us a hug little Molly," he said with more than a little amusement, squeezing her small body tightly to him. "You have _nothing_ to be frightened of... Daddy will take care of any monsters. I've always beaten them back before, and I always will."

He was holding her tightly to his chest, and Molly's small face turned upward to focus on her father's middle-age features. "Do you _promise?_"

"Yes Molly," O'Brien said honestly, setting her down and rubbing her lovingly on the top of her head. "I promise. If any monsters show up here, they're going to have one really angry Dad on their hands." He gripped her firmly by each shoulder and spun his daughter around 180 degrees to face the other direction. "Now... why don't you go wash up for dinner. Daddy's cooking tonight."

"Yay! Replicated _pizza!_" Molly shouted, trotting off at a full sprint toward the bedroom area and its adjoining bathroom. Behind him, Keiko watched the entire exchange with the warm, loving smile of an approving mother.

"Have there been any new developments regarding the murders Miles?" she asked curiously.

Immediately his conscience stirred to life, throwing the word _'SECRETS'_ at him repeatedly. Having years of experience with Keiko - first on the _Enterprise_ and most recently during their stay on Deep Space Nine - O'Brien knew full well what type of news worried her and which things she could better handle. He rubbed his eyes to relieve the work fatigue in them, taking a moment to ignore the beginning of a mild headache before answering her. "Not really," he answered truthfully. "However, we've put a really talented team of professionals together and I think they have a really good chance of discovering who is behind it all."

The Chief hugged Keiko warmly and kissed her lightly on the forehead. "Who do you think is behind it?" she asked. "If this was a case of the standard drunk and disorderly, Odo generally has the guilty parties locked up by now. This situation is a little more frightening for everybody, particularly since we now know the Dominion is out there... lurking so closely on the other side of that wormhole. _They_ could be up to something."

O'Brien shrugged indifferently and moved toward the replicator system, intending to order up some pizza as Molly had requested. As he did so he felt Keiko's eyes boring into him, even though his back was to her. "_What?_" he asked suspiciously, glancing irritably over his shoulder at the concerned look still prominently displayed on the face of his wife.

"I ran into Jadzia on the Promenade. She mentioned that you were picked by the Commander to take that cargo ship to its destination." She paused for the perfect amount of time, using the brief silence to scold him for making her bring up the subject first. "That sounds an awfully lot like a potentially dangerous assignment Miles."

"Actually, I'll be safer than usual," O'Brien replied, turning toward her and smiling reassuringly. "With all of those Starfleet people working outside in EVA suits, we've had quite a few power conduit overloads lately. The work crews are constantly tapping into the station's fusion reactors so that they can power the new weaponry properly. Making certain that all of that stuff is properly routed and connected is a big job... there's a lot of risk involved." He harrumphed loudly. "The Bajoran cargo vessel assignment is a piece of cake by comparison. I told you... we have put together a team of experts. All I have to do is make certain that the ship delivers its goods on schedule and then I get to come back here. My place is on the station, supervising all of the work crews."

"I'd still feel better if someone else did it."

The Chief declined to respond, returning his attention instead to the process of replicating dinner. He knew Keiko extremely well, and she would be content now that she had voiced her concerns about the dangers of his ongoing service to Starfleet. She understood matters regarding Starfleet missions very well, having voluntarily accepted a botanist position aboard Captain Picard's _Enterprise_. The Galaxy-Class starship was where he had first met her, and also where he had quickly grown to love her. So he let her unload on him, venting her emotions properly while he finished preparing dinner.

_He loved her so much it was impossible to describe._

* * *

Later that evening O'Brien was alone in the bedroom, getting ready to turn in for the night when the Comm-station on a nearby nightstand lit up. He sighed with frustration as he recognized the familiar features of Quark. "What do you want?" he asked rather snidely.

The image of Quark on the small screen peered more closely into the optical pick-up on the other end of the transmission. "First of all I'd appreciate it if you'd put on a shirt Chief," responded Quark with a smug grin. "We Ferengi get teased a lot about our large lobes, but at least we have our hair issues under control. In case you didn't already know, your chest is _not_ your most impressive feature."

O'Brien actually chuckled for an instant, admiring the Ferengi's poise. "You have ten seconds to get to the point Quark," he declared sharply. "Then I'm hanging up on you."

Instantly Quark's expression changed from jovial to serious. "My _holosuite_ isn't working reliably yet," he said with mild annoyance. "I was informed that it would be back on-line by now... I'm losing a lot of latinum every minute that it's powered down."

"In the morning Quark." The Chief said the words as plainly and sincerely as he possibly could.

"I have a written contract with the Commander," protested the Ferengi bartender, his famed persistence testing O'Brien's patience more and more with each passing minute. "Your work crews are required to keep to the repair schedules that they submit to me - otherwise I am not obliged to pay full price."

O'Brien rubbed his forehead softly with the fleshy part of his left palm. "Then charge us less," he said, a little more irritably than he had intended. He glared at the Ferengi and dared him to push the issue. "In case you hadn't already noticed, there's quite a lot of extra work going on these days."

"Of course I don't expect _you_ personally to do the work," continued Quark, glancing down at an incident report he was holding. "But I'm sure there are plenty of..." He trailed off suddenly as he saw O'Brien moving toward the monitor and his eyes widened in surprise as the Chief followed through on his earlier threat and abruptly terminated the transmission.

"In the morning Quark," O'Brien repeated, speaking directly at the darkened screen in front of him. He Chief finished putting on his pajamas, sat down on a corner of the bed and then stretched out his tired legs and relaxed them. He thought about the many events of the day for awhile longer and then lay down on the mattress. It took him a while to get comfortable in his search for a good night's rest. That last image, however, of the Ferengi's expression right at the instant Quark realized O'Brien was indeed hanging up on him lingered in his mind. Once again he chuckled with amusement.

O'Brien slept very soundly that night, having ended an otherwise stress filled day on such a pleasant note.


	4. Catspaw

**_Author's Notes:_** _As I mentioned in the previous Chapter, this story is a sequel (of sorts) to my previous effort "Star Trek: Dark Archon". I am trying my best, however, to keep this effort as much of a stand-alone story as possible. As a reader you will not completely follow events properly unless you understand several major plot points from "Archon": **(1)** Who are the Preservers? and **(2)** What is their subspace network?_

_**1.** The Preservers were first introduced in the original series episode "The Paradise Syndrome". In that episode, an obelisk that the Preservers had left behind on a planet long ago is discovered by the _Enterprise_. Spock spent much of the episode trying to decode the "glyph-like" markings on the obelisk, which he speculated were an unusual combination of math and musical notes._

_**2.** In "Dark Archon" the Preservers show up again, and much of the story centers around a hidden realm… a subspace network that is essentially a gigantic, inter-galactic Internet. Captain Data discovers it by properly deciphering the Preserver glyph language. The network exists primarily in subspace so that – as with warp drive – communications and other functions can occur at faster-than-light velocity. The network also allows people utilizing it to "bend the normal rules of physics" out in normal space._

_This chapter is a "connector". It has a passage in it based primarily on Picard's memories from an incident early in "Dark Archon". If you haven't read that story and need to know a little bit more about how and what this network is, the connector should help you. If you did read "Dark Archon", then the connector will serve as a reminder of just how truly remarkable the Preserver subspace realm truly is._

* * *

**Star Trek: Reign Of Terror**

**Chapter IV: Catspaw**

* * *

Cargo Vessel _Ha'Husia_, Azimuth City Spaceport

* * *

_Acting Captain's Log, Stardate 48247.9. Although I have never considered myself the best choice for Captain, I'm doing the best I can to complete the remainder of the _Ha'Husia_'s scheduled run. We are currently parked at a space port on the surface of Denali Prime. I've never visited this place before, but things have gone smoothly so far. We're awaiting the arrival of dockworkers who will offload several crates of spare parts from our hold and then transfer additional gravitational generators to us as payment. After that we'll be on our way to our final destination, where we will meet up with an independent third party - someone appointed by a mysterious, unknown buyer to pick up the generators and our supply of Delacon-G medication._

* * *

Miles Edward O'Brien paused - tempted to say more - but finally shut down the log recorder. He leaned back in the command seat and sighed heavily with obvious discomfort.

"That was nicely done _Captain_," commented an amused Kira Nerys.

"No it wasn't, but thanks anyway for the support," growled O'Brien. He shook his head with dismay while watching her studying his edgy nature and harrumphed loudly. "When I was assigned to finish this ship's cargo run, I never for an instant suspected that the entire command staff intended to ride along with me. Commander Sisko's decision to accompany Data and Captain Janeway in the _Yellowjacket_... well, let's just say that has complicated matters somewhat."

All three of them were dressed in Bajoran civilian uniforms, with O'Brien reluctantly taking center stage in the Captain's chair. Major Kira was seated at the helm and communications station near the front of the snug, box-shaped cargo vessel's bridge. Next to her, Jadzia Dax was manning the navigation console. Other than the three of them, the _Ha'Husia_'s small bridge was completely deserted. It had been that way since their departure from Deep Space Nine - the freighter could be run by twelve people so the majority of its crew were generally busy with their regular duties on other decks.

Every once in a while, however, the door to the lift would snap open and one or two crewmembers would arrive to monitor the vessel's lower priority systems. Whenever that happened, the conversation between the Deep Space Nine crewmen would switch instantly back to business. To the remaining crewmembers aboard the _Ha'Husia_ they were last minute appointees, serving in response to a direct request from the Bajoran provisional government.

Lt. Jadzia Dax chuckled as she glanced briefly in O'Brien's direction. "I would think that you would welcome our assistance Chief," she said sincerely. As usual, her lengthy dark hair was tied in a loose ponytail and fastened with a clasp to keep it out of her way while she worked.

"I do appreciate the assistance... really I do..." O'Brien paused in mid-sentence awkwardly as his thoughts drifted briefly back to his debriefing with Captain Data and the unforeseen conflict of interest he now found himself directly in the middle of. He struggled briefly to come up with an explanation for his discomfort and once again chose to be as honest as he possibly could. "As both of you know, I've never been comfortable in a command role," he admitted. "So I will play the part you want me to play, but I seriously doubt on this trip that I will convince anyone I'm anything but an engineer."

"But it's perfect," decided Kira optimistically. "This is much more believable to the Bajoran members of this crew when they see you as the grumpy Starfleet guy stuck with an unwanted assignment. Just continue to grumble and complain a lot and you'll do fine."

"I don't... complain," O'Brien grumbled crabbily and with more than a little irritation. "Much."

So far there had been very little to encourage them during the voyage. They had made seven stops already, completing their cargo deliveries on time and precisely as scheduled. Sometimes work pods would dock with them in orbit and on other occasions the freighter would need to land on the surface of a planet, moon, or asteroid. All along the way everything had been routine, with the remaining Bajoran crewmembers fulfilling their duties efficiently on the mostly repaired, battered cargo carrier. If anyone in Captain Keyoun's crew knew anything notable about the assignment, they had so far declined to share that information with anyone else.

The previous destinations they had visited were all smaller space stations and colonies. Azimuth City, however, was a sprawling, massive urban area encompassing dozens of square kilometers. There were at least a half dozen landing ports for cargo ships scattered throughout the various business districts. The _Ha'Husia_ had descended to a landing point near the Southeastern corner of the city, at which point the local air traffic control station had transmitted instructions to wait patiently. Depending on whether or not other ships ahead of them were on schedule, the wait could take as little as several minutes or as long as several days. So far no one had contacted them since their initial landing, and that alone was enough to leave the normally busy Chief O'Brien agitated and noticeably impatient.

Dax double-checked her console before nodding with satisfaction. "The _Yellowjacket_ has just arrived and is landing at a shuttle pad several kilometers north of us," she told them. "If we need help, all we have to do is signal them and help can be here in a matter of minutes."

"Hopefully we won't need them," mused an optimistic Kira. "But it was nice of Data to offer his assistance and allow Commander Sisko and Odo to covertly accompany him. The provisional government on Bajor is understandably eager for us to discover exactly who is killing and abducting so many civilians. I'm also very interested to know just who is at the root of this problem." Her tone was very serious as she continued monitoring communications while casting an anxious glance in Dax's general direction.

The Trill studied the ship's latest readouts carefully and shrugged. "Precision during this assignment may be something we can only wish for. These internal sensors are terrible," she noted. "If we need to track down anyone aboard this ship, it's not going to be easy. There are plenty of loopholes in this system compared to the accuracy that we're used to with Starfleet equipment."

"If the docking authority takes much longer to get back to us, I'll build you a _new_ system," the Chief promised her with a dry smile. He laughed sharply as he realized how much time had passed. "If I had known we'd have to wait this long after landing, I would have started right then and there and completely upgraded the entire ship by now."

Major Kira smiled reassuringly, noting the Chief's continued discomfort as an undercover freighter Captain. "Truthfully Chief, I don't think that anyone on this ship knows anything relevant. If Keyoun was involved with Quark, then neither of them would say anything outside of their immediate loop. People who run shady deals don't exactly announce their plans to everyone around them."

"He _was_ involved with Quark," rumbled O'Brien. "That bartender of ours doesn't throw out the red carpet - or donate holosuite time - to just anyone. I'm surprised Odo hasn't hammered the truth out of that bartender of ours yet... he usually does a better job of that."

"This is all legal... a simple business deal," said Jadzia with a mischievous smile. She was quoting the Ferengi's repeated pleas for mercy after his interrogation at the hands of the DS9 Constable. "They found a buyer who is willing to pay considerably more than market price in exchange for the speedy delivery of merchandise. So Quark doesn't know anything relevant... he's just doing business."

"Of course he doesn't," O'Brien chuckled darkly. "As usual, he's completely innocent."

A brief silence temporarily settled over the small command center as Dax continued to monitor shipboard activity. Kira watched the communications board carefully, and had also tapped into the security video feed that monitored the immediate area on the landing pad surrounding their small vessel. Wherever she looked, there was still no sign of any movement. O'Brien had a history of hating long waits, but not as much as he loathed simply sitting around with nothing to do. He did his duty anyway on this day, sitting rigidly in the center seat and impatiently waiting for something to happen. Another half hour passed - a seeming eternity for the bored Chief - and still no one from the Azimuth space port's work force showed up to claim their cargo.

"It's getting late in the day, even on this planet," Kira pointed out to O'Brien, noticing his increasingly edgy mood. "You've been on your feet a long time Chief - ever since we left Deep Space Nine. Why don't you go down to Captain Keyoun's quarters and take a nap. We've already searched it, so it should be a safe enough place for you to catch up on your rest. Dax and I will continue to monitor everything from up here and contact you as soon as there's something to report."

The Chief nodded, rising from the Captain's chair and stretching his fatigued muscles. "Thanks Major. That sounds like a good idea," he replied. "I'm pretty used to a busy day, so I only need a couple of hours." He tugged at the bottom of his shirt sharply and smiled. "But _I'm_ still the Captain on this trip, so be certain you _do_ report in if anything interesting turns up."

"Oh you _know_ we will," said Kira with an amused wink, watching him enter the lift.

* * *

O'Brien awoke several hours later and instantly noticed that the temperature in the dimly lit Captain's quarters had dropped noticeably. Eerie wisps of fog emerged from his mouth as he exhaled, and the hair on the back of his forearms had stiffened in response to the sudden cold. He was lying on his back and attempted to reach for the heavy blankets he had earlier shrugged aside. Quite amazingly, however, the Chief discovered that for some unknown reason he could not move. He couldn't even rub the sleep out of his eyes, since both of his arms - along with his entire body - were pinned to the mattress by an unseen force of some kind. It felt as though a giant, invisible hand was pressing down from above and holding him firmly in place. The support frame underneath his mattress was creaking in response to the enormous pressure suddenly forcing it toward the deck plating below.

Fighting back an instinctive urge to panic, O'Brien realized that the gravity within the small room had significantly increased in intensity. Still pinned firmly to his bed the Chief's gaze shifted to his right, where his tricorder and hand phaser lay innocently atop a small wooden nightstand. _If I could only turn the tricorder on_, his mind shouted in protest. _If I could only reach my weapon_. The pressure of the raised gravity had climbed to such an elevated level that it was becoming difficult even to breathe regularly. The Chief gasped for air as the pressure on his chest and ribcage continued to increase.

_Help!_ he screamed within his mind. _Someone please help me! I'm trapped in here!_

Glancing down toward the upturned toes of his feet, O'Brien noticed the room's furniture and opposite wall in the background rippling with some sort of visible distortion. Most of the remaining night lighting in the room flickered erratically and then went dark as something completely unknown appeared seemingly from nowhere less than two meters from the foot of his bed. A tall humanoid figure covered completely in black robes slowly took shape, its angered crimson eyes peeking out from beneath its dark, hooded robe and fixing their terrible gaze on him. The creature glided slowly forward until it was just inches from the foot of his bed. There the mysterious thing paused with its head lowered, casting a sinister downturned gaze at the trapped human on the bed in front of it.

O'Brien again fought back a fresh wave of panic and focused every ounce of effort he had left into reaching toward his right and the nearby phaser pistol.

_It was useless... he could barely move the tips of his fingers._

* * *

Julian Bashir had busied himself checking out the supplies and inventory stored in a medium-sized room that currently served as the _Ha'Husia_'s tiny Sickbay. The renovated area had obviously once been a series of three or four crew quarters, until the bulkheads and support pillars had been removed to make room for a basic set of bio-beds and a limited amount of medical equipment. It wasn't much of an infirmary, but Bashir had seen worse on space-faring vessels over the years. It was always amazing to him just how many people never planned for emergencies... how they simply expected everything to always go right.

The Doctor carefully removed what looked like a large briefcase from a refrigeration compartment and opened it, studying the dozens and dozens of vials of Delacon-G stored inside. With the drug in so concentrated a state, he estimated that there were at least seventy thousand inoculations contained within. Picking up a medical tricorder, the Doctor activated the device and began a slow, meticulous scan of the substance contained within each of the transparent storage cylinders. Behind him, the lone Bajoran physician assigned to the cargo vessel watched curiously and said nothing as he observed Bashir complete his latest inspection of the rare but valuable medication.

"There's absolutely no sign that the drug inside these containers is losing any of its potency," he told the tall, spindly male assistant. "When we finally do get to where we're going, this will be in good shape."

The Bajoran physician nodded in response. "I'm well past the end of my shift," he told Bashir. "So I'll be in my quarters if you need me."

Bashir carefully closed the case containing the precious vials of medication and returned it to its refrigerated storage unit. He had just set the case comfortably inside and was about to close and lock the door when something very hard and heavy struck him on the back of his head. Uttering a small grunt of pain, the Doctor pitched forward onto the storage unit and then lost consciousness as his body slid awkwardly down to the floor of the small Sickbay.

* * *

Seated in the _Yellowjacket_, Commander Benjamin Sisko and "Lt. Commander" Data continued to patiently wait as their small ship repeatedly scanned the nearby Bajoran cargo vessel. Since their arrival everything had been quiet for the most part, and all the while Odo paced impatiently back and forth behind them. Data had suggested that the Janeway and Paris holograms wait in the runabout's central passenger compartment. He wasn't exactly eager for Sisko to have a prolonged discussion with either of them; it was still bothering him that the Commander had insisted upon accompanying them on the journey in the first place. The android couldn't blame Sisko for wanting to personally insure the safety of the people under his command, but his ongoing presence made the android's job much tougher. They had maintained their silent watch for several hours after landing, and it was only a matter of time before the two of them would butt heads. Data had therefore prepared for all contingencies and was fairly certain that he could properly control the situation.

He had even decided that it would be possible to tell Sisko a little bit more about the true nature of his mission and the time travel involved, but he absolutely did not want to go down that road unless he was left with no other option. It was highly probable that he was going to have to use his enhanced, internal neural link to interact with the _Yellowjacket_'s main computer. The Commander would probably accept his explanation of a 29th century interactive link of this nature - certainly technology of that sort had been experimented with even here in the 24th century. It was the existence and capabilities of the hidden subspace Preserver network that truly concerned the android, since his internal transceiver had also been enhanced to connect directly to it during an emergency situation. He had orders preventing anyone from this timeframe - even Chief O'Brien or Doctor Bashir - from knowing about that ancient realm and all of its wondrous capabilities.

_Keeping the subspace network a secret would be difficult if the people around him suddenly witnessed him doing miraculous things at the snap of a finger. He would have to be extremely cautious_.

Data's thoughts drifted briefly back to that amazing time - approximately one year in his past - when he had first encountered the dangerous Sentinel and his dark plan to destroy all life in the Milky Way galaxy. He had rallied the survivors of Starfleet and together they had managed to defeat the powerful alien and his destructive temporal incursion. In doing so they had inadvertently discovered the hidden subspace network and all of its capabilities - something that historically was not supposed to happen for many centuries to come. Starfleet had now been placed in a position where its actions - even so far in the Preservers past - could have major consequences on timelines that stretched farther into the future than they could ever hope to explore.

The Sentinel had been used to interacting with the Preserver network whenever he needed to... almost all of his shipboard activities centered around its capabilities, and his culture relied directly on the non-stop use of its resources. The alien had even worn a device on his head that significantly amplified his neural activity and allowed him to interact directly with the network. For a brief time, Captain Picard had gotten hold of that device by taking it from the Sentinel and using it to connect his own brain with that strange, new world. What he had witnessed within his mind had truly astonished him, and he had once shared his memory of those experiences with Commander Frank Roberts in great detail. As part of the information package downloaded by Data from the Preserver's distant future, Roberts had included Picard's astonishing explanation of what his human mind had observed while linked to the alien realm...

* * *

_A strange explosion of strange lights and sounds filled his mind, and the experience to Picard felt like some sort of waking dream - only it rushed by much more swiftly. Thousands upon thousands of voices could be heard, and this event reminded him briefly of his encounter with the Borg collective even though this experience differed completely. The Borg spoke together, with their words and voice united as one. These voices, by contrast, were the voices of thousands of individuals who all seemed to be speaking at once. Some of them were shouting, others whispered quietly, but most of them were mingled together in a random, completely indistinguishable haze of conversation._

_As though an image was projected on the back of his eyeballs Picard's vision cleared unexpectedly, but he did not see the corridor that he was in or the people that he knew still surrounded him. What he did see was something else entirely... images that were not his memories, but something unexplained that was undoubtedly fed directly into his mind by the headset. Somehow, he decided, the electronics he wore allowed him to see with his mind and not his eyes._

_A torrential flood of streaking stars flew past his vision, followed by a non-stop flow of planets, faces, stellar objects, alien species... it was all there and then not there, moving past his thoughts too quickly for him to concentrate on any specific details. The experience was almost overwhelming and the Captain cried out suddenly as he felt a sharp stab of pain in his head - there was simply too much that he was seeing being shown to him far too quickly and his mind was fighting back using the pain as a warning. Gritting his teeth, he made a sincere attempt to focus his attention on his primary objective. As though an imaginary switch had been flipped, all of the images rushing by suddenly slowed to a crawl._

_Home_.

_The word stuck in his thoughts and Picard seized upon it, demanding that the device on his head show him the way home. _

How do I get out of here and back to where I belong? _He asked himself. And it._

_Like a colorful blooming flower, a vast new image formed in his mind and expanded outward until it was the central image blocking out all of the others._

_Jean-Luc Picard found himself looking down on a well furnished room from above, as though he were part of its ceiling. Antique chairs surrounding a beautiful table occupied one side of the spacious room, while the other had a colorful, hand woven carpet spread out on a hardwood floor in front of a glowing fireplace. Children's toys were scattered all over the carpet, and two small boys played there by the warmth of the fire, giggling as they shared their fun together. Abruptly one of them grew frustrated and shoved the smaller of the two children and he fell forward, his anger rising quickly as a result of the shove. "Don't be so _mean_ to me Robert," the smaller child snapped. "Ma ma has said on numerous occasions that you are supposed to treat me better."_

_The other boy chuckled at the indignation so apparent in the other. "Don't be silly Jean-Luc," he retorted scornfully. "You're such a small slip of a boy... we've got to toughen you up or you'll be a weakling all the rest of your life."_

_The home that WAS, _an unidentified voice whispered in his mind.

_The image of Picard's childhood vanished as quickly as it had appeared, disappearing as though someone had placed a hand alongside of it and simply shoved it aside. In its place he was now looking at the saucer section of the_ Enterprise-D, _crashed and helpless on the surface of an unknown world. Some of his crew - both men and women - were walking around on top of the saucer as they waved to shuttles passing above them. In the background he could see the dark, ruined trail the ship had carved into the ground as it had descended from orbit and smashed into the ground below. The crashed saucer had emerged from a wooded region, leaving a sizeable number of broken trees and crushed vegetation in its wake. Whatever had happened had been significant and the damage to his ship tremendous._

_Again the image flashed away for something entirely new. This time he was looking at a new_ Enterprise, _the NCC-1701-E, as it flew through space and successfully attacked a Borg cube. It was a beautiful starship, more streamlined and obviously combat ready as compared to the _Enterprise-D_, but certainly this new vessel was not quite as elegant and dedicated to exploration as its predecessor had been. The _Enterprise-E_, by contrast, boasted many more teeth in its arsenal of weapons and prowled the galaxy daring others to mess with it... her crew had been left with no choice over the years but to continually improve their defensive weaponry._

_Sovereign-Class_, the unfamiliar voice whispered again. _The new home that IS for you the original. _

_He watched with fascination as his perspective began pulling rapidly back and away from the _Enterprise-E_. Almost instantly the Sovereign-Class starship dwindled to a tiny pinpoint of light, and the nearby yellow sun of the Sol system swiftly followed suit into the background of stars beyond. The image kept showing him a wider and wider perspective of the stars... first the Orion arm of the Milky Way became visible, followed quickly by its neighboring spiral arms and finally the entire Milky Way dominated his vision with all its billions of stars._

_Jean-Luc watched the image in his mind reverse itself, as though he were looking in a mirror. Suddenly the Milky Way roared toward him again, but this time the Starfleet ships he saw laid waste to everything in their path. He watched a Constitution class starship very similar to James Kirk's - the _Defiant_ - maim and kill the populations of whole planets in the name of an Empress Sato. Before his eyes centuries passed in mere seconds, as an entire Empire rose from the ashes of years of war on Earth, peaked in its 23rd century, and then fell into ruin at the hands of an angry, bitter Klingon, Cardassian, and Bajoran alliance. Earth humans in its 24th century were followed and persecuted wherever they fled, and most of them ended up with no choice but to toil endlessly as slaves in order to keep alive the slim hope of surviving long enough to see one more day. _

_ONE possible home that is NOT yours, _suggested the voice inside Picard's head firmly_. ONE possible home among an INFINITE number of homes._

_As if to prove this point, the image of the mirror universe receded as it had before, and as before the struggling, oppressed humans in the vision that he had been watching shrank instantly into a tiny pinprick of bright light. But this time there were no stars, instead he was looking at a vast, geometrically organized pattern of billions of other points of light that appeared neatly positioned around the central point leading to the evil Starfleet Empire. Picard sensed instinctively that he was looking at an intersection of doorways allowing access to countless other universes. Some of those alternate realities would no doubt be very similar to his own familiar universe... to _his_ home. Others would be vastly different - practice peace or pursue violence; a choice that the populations in each universe were all inevitably forced to make. _

_If you had to CHOOSE a door, which would be your one true home and which would be so similar to your own that you would be unable to tell the difference? NOW take a look at THEIR home_, insisted the unknown whispering voice. _A home that will one day also be YOURS.__._

_The visual imagery in Picard's mind shifted to an alien galaxy, one with more stars but fewer spiral arms than his own. A vast war was being fought there, with conflicts so bitter and intense that entire ships routinely crashed into enemy planets or each other, exploding in huge bursts of expended energy. Thousands upon thousands of lives were extinguished, often in the blink of an eye. Other vessels continued the clash, battling each other over countless centuries - an endless war that grew darker and grimmer with each passing year. Their weapons often obliterated all living things on the enemy planets that they passed. Their war claimed whole star systems, sometimes even draining energy away from the suns of their enemies. In time, the ships grew so large and so powerful that the killing threatened all populations living in their galaxy with certain extinction. More than a few recognized the threat, and for the first time in generations those who realized the dire future facing them finally began an aggressive coordinated effort to end the fighting._

_A coalition of survivors from all factions quickly formed, and they acted immediately to put a cease fire in place. Those who did not abide by the declaration and throw away their weapons were promptly destroyed; they became the final victims claimed by a war that - in the end - they tragically could not stop fighting. A new society formed, one bonded firmly to the principles of peace and a deep respect for all life wherever it was to be found. In working to rebuild the devastated worlds and populations of their galaxy, these 'Preservers' found a new, powerful motivation for change. They dedicated themselves to reclaiming what was lost; to rebuilding what most thought could not possibly be rebuilt. More centuries passed, and life once again began to flourish, thriving everywhere on worlds that the Preservers' efforts had successfully renewed._

_They expanded their efforts to other galaxies, modeling their rebuilding efforts after planets like Earth and other similar worlds just like it - the 'crown jewels' of the cosmos in their eyes. They soon discovered that the populations in other galaxies had not warred quite as violently as the early generations of Preservers had, and thus it was easy to recruit allies and continue spreading plant, animal, and sentient life wherever they traveled to. Occasionally counterparts from other alternate, mirror universes traveled across the divide between dimensions and an inter-spatial alliance was formed with Preservers from other realms who felt as these Preservers did and shared their common goals. If a younger, yellow sun was dying, they stoked the fire burning within its core back to full intensity, ignoring the larger, cooler red giants where life was less probable and planets less habitable. Sometimes they left behind a small group of people on a world already well suited for life, on other occasions a complete renovation of the planet's ecosystem was first necessary._

_Additional centuries passed and the new generations of Preservers continued their labor of love and their pursuit of seeding life everywhere they explored. They did not know who had originally created the vastness that was the cosmos and all of its amazing alternate realities, but they were now solely dedicated to preserving and improving it... never again would they war with each other and destroy. Violent species were encountered but the Preservers would not pass judgment on them... after all, they had once been hostile themselves but had matured out of it. Occasionally they left signs of their passing as an indication that someone else existed, that someone else cared. How the people in the civilizations who discovered those signs reacted to them was up to each group of life forms - the Preservers showed no favorites and practiced a policy of strict non-interference. If they could help young cultures begin to grow, then they promptly did so... otherwise they moved on to other worlds. There was so much to do, after all, and the universe an extremely BIG place..._

_And then the endless, non-stop project undertaken by the Preservers grew so large that it could not help but stumble, it could not help but CHANGE..._

* * *

The transcribed report of Picard's memories stored in Data's memory terminated at that point, and - sitting next to Sisko in the runabout - Data resolutely made a silent promise _not _to permit anyone else from the 24th century to know about the Preservers. Although he had thus far corrected at least several major changes to the timeline during this mission to the past, it would be all too easy for him to unintentionally cause more damage. His mission had to remain one of secrecy and deception, even if doing so hid much of what he was doing from his colleagues. There was too much about the future that might change if he said or showed them something critical... if they discovered too much.

He already had a problem in the form of Benjamin Sisko, who had allowed Data to shadow the _Ha'Husia_ using the runabout only on the condition that both he and Odo were permitted to ride along. Data was going to have to find a way to deal with Sisko's presence, and there was simply no way to do so without severely angering the Commander. Unfortunately, there was no other alternative. He would have to make his decisions as events continued to take place her in the past and live with the inevitable consequences. He could not totally undo the damage that had been done here, only repair it as accurately and efficiently as possible.

* * *

Sisko nodded with satisfaction as the sensor console in the runabout's cockpit suddenly lit up and began beeping for attention. "We've finally got something," he noted with a grim smile. "And it's exactly what we've been waiting for. There is a small gravitational anomaly forming aboard the _Ha'Husia_. The computer pinpoints a location inside the Captain's quarters."

Odo was standing directly behind the Commander and grunted with satisfaction. "It makes sense," he commented. "Someone wants the merchandise on the ship so badly they're willing to kill for it. Whoever is behind all this has undoubtedly come back to check up on their precious cargo."

Data was in the seat directly to Sisko's left and he silently activated the neural transceiver built into his positronic net. Using his wireless link with the runabout's main computer, he tapped into the _Yellowjacket_'s sensor logs and swiftly analyzed the new information more efficiently than would ever be possible by simply reading it from a computer screen. Satisfied that their unknown enemy had indeed returned, the android initiated a site-to-site transport. Data's body shimmered with blue transporter energy and he promptly vanished from his seat.

"And just _where_ is he going?" asked Odo curiously, leaning in close as he peered intently over Sisko's shoulder at the streams of incoming sensor data.

"I don't know. If Mr. Data was planning on going somewhere, I expected him to warn me in advance," said a concerned Sisko, swiveling in his seat to face the rear of the runabout. "Captain Janeway, do you have any idea...?" his voice trailed off unexpectedly as he noticed the empty passenger compartment behind him. Apparently the android had transported both Janeway and Paris in addition to himself. "Obviously, Data felt it necessary to take those two with him," the Commander growled, barely containing his sudden anger. "I just wish he had included us in his plan."

"Why would he _do_ that Commander?" Odo wondered. "Why would he leave us behind?"

Sisko thought the entire matter over for a few minutes before responding. "Data is the second officer on the _Enterprise_... the flagship of the Federation," he pointed out. "Every member of Captain Picard's command staff is extremely proactive and capable of taking risks when confronting the dangers we encounter during space travel."

Even as he spoke, the lights on the consoles in front of him vanished as everything abruptly shut down. Acting on a hunch, the Commander tried to open the outer hatch on the side of the runabout and discovered that the small vessel was completely locked down. Frustrated, Sisko slammed a fist angrily down on the console and glared at the darkened screens in front of him.

"However you try to rationalize it, Data's behavior is highly irregular." Odo shook his head negatively.

"His entire _mission_ has been suspect," responded Sisko with growing frustration. "Those secret Starfleet orders about planting Tom Paris in the Maquis... something about all of this just doesn't add up. I think his assignment to Deep Space Nine involves a whole lot more than he has told us, so he'd better have a damned good explanation as to why he trapped us here." For a second time the Commander tried to activate the _Yellowjacket_'s darkened, inactive command console. Once again the main computer completely ignored his instructions.

_At least for the moment, both he and Odo were trapped._

"Well I'm certainly not a member of Starfleet," pointed out the Changeling. "However, isn't this technically a direct violation of the Starfleet chain of command? If I'm not mistaken, _you_ are Lt. Commander Data's superior. You allowed him to accompany the _Ha'Husia_ on this mission, so it looks to me as though _he_ should be taking orders from _you_."

The Commander leaned back in his seat, his eyes flickering over the dimly lit, completely powered down interior of the runabout. "For the moment, I'm willing to wait until I hear Data's reasons for taking this action," decided Sisko. "It would be unprofessional on my part to simply reprimand so experienced an officer without first hearing his point of view."

Odo folded his arms together in front of him. "And if you _don't_ like what you hear, then what?"

Sisko smiled darkly, completely frustrated. "In that case I _will_ reprimand him... I'll give that android of Picard's an ass chewing he won't soon forget."

* * *

Miles O'Brien continued to lay helplessly on Captain Keyoun's bed as the creature standing in front of the opposite wall continued to watch him with its flaming red eyes. There was no way to tell if the darkness within the hood actually contained a face - all he could see were the angry, blazing eyes within.

_"WHY ARE **YOU** IN COMMAND OF THIS SHIP?"_

The Chief's eyes widened at the unexpected sound of the harsh, raspy voice... specifically because the words somehow permeated his thoughts at the same time they reached his ears. Normally unflappable, he held silent for a moment as he watched the huge seven foot monstrosity towering over him. O'Brien was not someone who panicked easily, but his complete helplessness as he lay trapped in front of the strange alien presence was not helping matters. He had absolutely no way to defend himself if the entity chose to kill him as it had so many others. "I'm just doing the Bajorans a favor," he said finally. "My government has a treaty - an arrangement to cooperate - with their government. All I'm supposed to do is complete this ship's scheduled cargo run."

_"**YOU** WILL DELIVER MY SUPPLIES ON TIME?"_

"Yes. That _is_ my assignment... to make certain everything is delivered to its proper destination." O'Brien waited tentatively, with the hair on his arms and on the back of his neck still prickled and standing on end. Whoever or whatever he was dealing with in this matter was definitely not an everyday, run of the mill smuggler. This was a very powerful unknown alien, and it was obviously capable of distorting space/time itself in addition to manipulating gravitons.

_"EXCELLENT... IF YOU KEEP YOUR WORD, YOU AND YOUR CREW WILL LIVE."_

Behind the creature Captain Data suddenly appeared. His unanticipated presence was most definitely not the result of a transporter beam... the android simply flashed into existence as though he had stepped through some kind of cosmic portal. "I am here Chief," Data told him reassuringly, his gaze refocusing instantly on the alien entity standing with them in the room.

Data's voice caused the creature to turn in response, its body swiveling gracefully toward the newcomer. As its dark robed shape turned toward the android, O'Brien's eyes widened in surprise. Attached to the alien - like some sort of tether - was a shimmering rope-like strand of emerald energy. It sprouted out of the center of the alien's back, slightly below the shoulder blades, and twisted and wound its way toward the area of severest distortion in the small room. Several meters to the left of the position where Data currently stood, the other end of the tether poked into and then simply vanished within the depths of the gravimetric disturbance.

The android's curiosity was obviously piqued, and Data seemed content to visually study the alien and gravitational chaos that its presence had brought with it. O'Brien continued to lay on the bed consumed by his own personal helplessness and fear of this unknown. "_Pha-ser_," the Chief managed to gasp, spitting out the word and then immediately sucking in a deep breath of air. The intensified gravity within the room continued to pin him firmly to the mattress, and even the smallest motion took great effort.

The android nodded and - seemingly impervious to the waves of highly focused gravitons swirling through the room - leaped over O'Brien's bed and landed softly next to the nightstand. He attempted to pick up the tricorder and noticed that it too was held firmly to the table's surface by the enhanced gravity. Fortunately, the sophisticated scanning device was already open, so Data simply activated it. As the colored lights on the tricorder sprang immediately to life the android swiftly moved his hand to the phaser pistol and used his superior strength to pick it up.

"Who are you?" Data inquired, the weapon in his hand emitting a series of electronic chirps as he raised its intensity setting to maximum. Beside him, the tricorder whirred electronically, recording everything that was currently taking place in the room.

_"THAT IS NOT YOUR CONCERN... ALL I WANT IS MY EQUIPMENT."_

"You have killed people in a simple quest for inanimate objects... our governments have laws prohibiting such behavior." Data watched its reaction carefully but detected no emotion or expression of any kind from within the dark, hooded form. In response to his accusation, the black-robed figure raised its left arm and pointed a lengthy, hooked finger directly at Data. Instantly the phaser in his hand became heavier and - ignoring the sudden graviton surge - the android used his considerable strength to slowly raise the weapon until it was once again pointed at the strange intruder. He fired a powerful beam of orange energy directly at the creature, hitting first the extended arm and following it back to the chest. The alien's extended arm and most of its shoulder disintegrated as the phaser beam struck, _but the damaged areas of its body simply regenerated mere seconds later_.

The creature lowered its instantly healed arm and began gliding backward, towards the center of the rippling distortion where its shimmering green tether emerged from. Astonishingly, the black robes that shrouded the alien and kept its features hidden appeared to simply collapse into the center of the gravimetric anomaly and vanish. Less than a minute later, most of the disturbance had faded and even O'Brien could tell that normal environmental conditions were quickly returning to the room. He sat up with a relieved sigh and cast an astonished gaze in the direction of his android friend.

"Androids weigh an awful lot," the Chief told him needlessly. "_How_ did you manage to counteract all of the gravitons in this room? You walked through all of that like..."

"...like someone who is not really here," pointed out Data, setting the phaser down on the nightstand and picking up the tricorder. "What you are seeing is in reality a sophisticated projection... it is a method that allowed me to reach you in time to keep you alive." Although he could not specifically tell the Chief everything, Data was actually standing on the northern edge of the landing field where the _Ha'Husia_ was docked. His internal neural interface had been significantly enhanced since his encounter with the Sentinel and the Preserver culture, so he had made use of it to directly link up with the subspace network and cast an isomorphic projection of himself inside the Captain's quarters.

"How can you be a _projection?_" asked an astonished O'Brien. "For crying out loud, you picked up a phaser and fired it at that thing... not to mention that there isn't any sort of emitter in this room!" He shivered at the memory of the cold and utter helplessness that he had felt during the confrontation. "Don't get me wrong, I'm really glad that you came..." The Chief looked a bit sheepish as he tried to get control of his fear. "I promised Keiko that the danger on this trip would be minimal, and things haven't exactly turned out that way. Just what in the name of hell _was_ that thing?"

Data responded by turning off the tricorder. "Perhaps the data we collected from this direct scan of our unknown enemy will tell us more," he decided. He didn't dare say anything specific to the Chief about the Preserver network, and yet along with the isomorphic projection that he had utilized to intervene he had also focused some of the network's most sophisticated sensors on the Captain's quarters. The android was fully aware that he had dropped a major conflict of interest directly in the Chief's lap, but he also recognized that he too was undeniably caught between a rock and a hard place. A brief review of his ancestor's memories of actually having worked with O'Brien temporarily stimulated Data's emotion chip - in any century it simply wasn't easy for him to hide crucial information from someone he still considered to be a close friend.

"_Kira to O'Brien_."

The Chief had been standing motionless, studying the projected image of Data curiously. The Major's voice snapped him immediately back to the situation at hand, and he walked over toward his uniform. He had left it lying neatly folded over the backrest of a chair - something that Keiko would never let him get away with at home. Lifting up his shirt, O'Brien tapped the Starfleet Comm-badge attached to it lightly. "O'Brien here."

"_Are you okay? We just detected all kinds of gravimetric turbulence on your deck. Our sensors have confirmed that this latest anomaly is very similar to the other occurrences previously recorded aboard Deep Space Nine_."

O'Brien hesitated before responding, his gaze shifting momentarily to Data. The android shook his head negatively, unwilling to share anything new with them before first analyzing the latest information himself. "The situation is under control. Please stand by Major," O'Brien replied tersely. "I managed to get a tricorder reading of the alien life form that has been killing our people. I'm a little shaken up down here, but I'll be back on the bridge soon."

He expected her to accept his explanation and terminate the transmission, but she did not. "_We've got another problem_," Kira informed him. "_Someone just attacked Dr. Bashir in Sickbay and stole our entire supply of Delacon-G. The Doctor is a little banged up, but the ship's physician says he's going to be okay. A quick survey has revealed the medication as the only item missing_."

"The encounter here was a simple diversion," theorized Data softly. "Someone wants that medication very badly - at any cost. They're playing us against each other like pawns on a chessboard. We cannot simply allow the Delacon-G to disappear... we must find that thief."

O'Brien nodded in response. "Major, _who_ specifically took that medication?" he asked inquisitively.

"_At this point, we don't really know_," she informed him. "_Internal sensors show that someone from outside the ship used a site-to-site transport to beam in close to the Sickbay. The intruder attacked Dr. Bashir and then beamed right back out again. Our latest sweep of the area clearly shows that one biological life form materialized approximately 2,000 meters south of our landing pad. Without better sensors we can't determine which species_."

Data's eyes closed as he activated his neural interface, tapping directly into the _Ha'Husia_'s sensor logs. "I am downloading the destination coordinates now," he told O'Brien. "Stand by."

"_I don't understand_," Kira's voice sounded a bit concerned as it emerged from the communicator. "_Is everything really all right down there Chief? Dax and a security team are already on the way..._"

Her voice trailed off as Data used the Preserver network's transporter capabilities to lock onto O'Brien and beam him, the hand phaser and the tricorder directly to the destination coordinates of their unwanted Sickbay intruder outside the ship. Seconds later the android terminated the isomorphic projection and he also vanished from the room without the slightest trace of a residual energy signature.

Discovering himself unexpectedly standing outside in the chilly night time air, Chief O'Brien cussed loudly as he looked at all of the street light towers scattered throughout the spaceport. Slowly he began putting on the uniform that he still held in his hands. "Blasted time traveling androids from the future..." he growled with obvious annoyance. His voice trailed off as he suddenly noticed that Data, along with both Janeway and Paris, had transported to his location. One minute he was alone, and in the next instant all three of them were standing next to him. "Blasted time traveling androids from the future, _sir_," he repeated with a wry smile.

Captain Data tapped into the Preserver network yet again and focused its scanners directly on the medical bay aboard the _Ha'Husia_. Doctor Bashir's human bio-signature was easy to identify, so Data promptly targeted him and transported him directly to their position. As soon as Bashir materialized, it was obvious that he was still recovering from the attack. The Doctor was holding an ice pack against the back of his head, and they could see white bandages peeking out from underneath.

"Are you all right Doctor?" asked Janeway in her kindhearted way.

"Yes," Bashir replied, still a bit disoriented from the abrupt nature of the unexpected transport. "What, may I ask, is our next step in all of this?"

"We must recover the Delacon-G," declared Data sternly. "Maintaining our possession of that drug will allow us to continue to lure our enemy back to us. They obviously want that substance very badly, which is why we cannot allow them to keep it until we know why they want it so desperately."

O'Brien's thoughts drifted briefly back to the events that he had earlier witnessed. "What if we don't _want_ to contact our unknown enemy," he declared snidely. "Not all of us have your... durability." Even as he released some of his anxiety by cracking a partial joke, the Chief turned slowly while carefully using the tricorder to scan the immediate vicinity. "I'm detecting one life form moving very swiftly toward the South," he observed, glancing between the dozens of larger cargo ships and shuttles parked in the spaceport surrounding them. "That's got to be our thief." He handed the tricorder to Data so that the android could read the information himself.

"Elevation is thirty-two point four meters," Data read aloud, raising the device slightly higher to get a more accurate sampling. "We are in pursuit of yet another interesting life form to be sure." He turned and regarded the others thoughtfully. "This one flies."


	5. That Which Survives

**Star Trek: Reign Of Terror**

**Chapter V: That Which Survives**

* * *

_U.S.S. Yellowjacket_, Azimuth City Spaceport

* * *

Sisko had been watching silently and with complete admiration for over ten minutes as Odo utilized his shapeshifting ability to carefully explore every nook and cranny of the _Yellowjacket_'s interior. Reverting to his natural, orange-colored, semi-liquid state the extremely astonishing Changeling stretched himself as thin as he could so that he could thoroughly probe every crack and crevice. He explored the edges of the windshield that comprised the runabout's cockpit first and then the computer consoles to both port and starboard. A brief check of the ceiling and floor plating left him no closer to finding a way out. Even if the cabin hadn't been completely sealed against atmospheric leaks, Data had left everything locked down with emergency forcefields during his hasty departure.

Eventually Odo moved into the passenger compartment, relentlessly searching its interior as thoroughly as he had checked out the cockpit. The access hatchway to the engineering compartment was completely sealed and he found not even the slightest trace of a gap to exploit. Finally the pool of flowing orange fluid rippled upward and slowly began solidifying into a vaguely humanoid shape. The expression that finally appeared on Odo's mostly human features was one of complete and utter frustration. "I thought the hatches on space vessels were supposed to be equipped with explosive bolts so that a jammed door could be blown open in an emergency situation," he reminded Sisko. "Why don't we just _do_ that?"

The Commander chuckled and shook his head. "All consoles remain dark and fully powered down. I have no access to any of the electronic functions on this ship... even the minor, secondary ones."

Odo refused to give up. "What about _manual_ controls?" he asked next. "Isn't there a backup system that can be operated by hand? If all power is truly shut down, then we should still be able to use the manual interface to open an exit hatch ourselves."

"All access hatchways - including the main exit - have been electronically locked tight," pointed out Sisko. "That part of the system our android friend has left fully operational. We can work those hand-operated controls until we're exhausted, but none of them will open anything."

Silence prevailed momentarily as the shapeshifter's mind sorted through additional possibilities. "Computer... _respond!_" he shouted commandingly. Glancing irritably toward the ceiling and then to the dimly lit consoles in front of Sisko, Odo's anger continued to grow. "_Computer!_" he said forcefully, his tone insistent. Again he waited for a few seconds before finally glaring at the Commander. "_Do_ something!" he suggested emphatically. "Don't just sit there with that... _smile_... on your face."

Sisko responded by picking up a tricorder and activating it. "If you insist Constable, I will run another scan." He waved the electronically chirping device casually around the cockpit area. "See?" he said finally, turning the device so that Odo could read its small screen. "You and I are stuck here until..."

Abruptly the cabin lights flashed suddenly back on and Sisko hesitated with the remainder of his response. Behind him the consoles all lit up simultaneously with all power fully restored; the Commander swiveled instantly in his seat and began checking the status indicators. In one hand the tricorder continued to whir with activity, still scanning the immediate vicinity. A low rumble resounded powerfully through the runabout's interior as its maneuvering thrusters powered up. Glancing out the forward cockpit, Sisko noticed that - completely automated and without any intervention on his part - the _Yellowjacket_ was gracefully lifting off from its docking pad and suddenly accelerating forward through the darkened night sky of Denali Prime.

"What's going on?" asked Odo inquisitively, moving forward so that he too could look at the console displays. "_How_ are you doing that with just a tricorder?"

The Commander looked down at the still active device in his right hand and studied its newly gathered data with interest. "I'm not doing anything," he admitted. "The computer still has me completely locked out. However, the tricorder detected an incoming signal less than thirty seconds ago... a transmission with a positronic signature."

The shapeshifter nodded. "Data has some sort of remote control access to this vessel."

"I think Data has some sort of _neural_ interface that links him directly to this ship's main computer," Sisko corrected him, smiling grimly. "I seriously doubt he even _needs_ a remote control."

"When he gets back here..." Odo trailed off, his stern-faced expression still filled with anger.

"Something tells me that he's not coming back," replied Sisko. "In fact, if I had to guess I would say that he is bringing _us_ to him."

As though reading his mind, the Comm-station next to his left hand lit up, and a small violet indicator began blinking rapidly to indicate the reception of an incoming Starfleet encoded transmission. "_Data to Commander Sisko... are you there Commander?_"

The Commander placed his fingers onto the touchpad and acknowledged the hail. "Sisko here."

"_I sincerely apologize for my abrupt departure_," Data informed them, his voice crackling slightly with mild electronic distortion. "_And I promise to explain everything once all of this is over. For now I ask that you trust my judgment... there is a lot happening here tonight and we must act quickly_."

"Apology accepted... _pending_ that explanation," Sisko responded with a hard edged tone to his voice. "You're on a very short leash Mr. Data. I would strongly recommend that you _not_ test my patience any further. Odo and I are - as you might expect - a little bit angry with you right now."

"_It is not my intention to cause trouble,_" the android reassured them. "_In fact, I require your assistance. Full control of the_ Yellowjacket _is being released back to you as we speak. If you maintain your present heading, the runabout will pass over my position in less than thirty seconds. As you do, I will initiate a site-to-site transport_. _My companions and I are tracking an alien life form that boarded the _Ha'Husia_ and attacked Dr. Bashir. The thief has taken the Delacon-G, and if we can catch him I am fairly certain that the guilty party will be able to answer a lot of our questions. However, this alien has demonstrated an unexpected ability to fly and has therefore managed to elude us for the moment_."

Sisko grabbed the steering controls and discovered instantly that Data was true to his word. He had full control of the speedy runabout and continued flying in a southerly direction. Glancing out the windows he noticed that the busy landing area was almost devoid of its normal bustling activity. Until the darkness of the night eased, everyone was either guarding the cargo in their ships or taking a rowdy tour of Azimuth City's infamous nightlife. The intermittent glow from an array of scattered street lights was the only indicator as to just how many vessels were parked beneath them.

Data had left the _Yellowjacket_'s thrusters at a setting that was gradually decreasing their velocity, so Sisko made no changes as he took over the piloting duties. Seconds later four columns of brilliantly lit transporter energy temporarily filled the passenger compartment before solidifying into very familiar, recognizable humanoid forms. For the moment, only Chief O'Brien realized that Tom Paris had failed to materialize along with the rest of them.

Glancing over his shoulder Sisko immediately noticed Bashir and the cold pack that the Doctor continued to hold against the back of his head. "Are you all right Doctor?" he asked with genuine concern reflected in his eyes.

"Aye sir, I am," Bashir acknowledged with a wan smile, grateful for the concern. "However, our effort to lure our enemy out into the open was a successful one. Apparently someone wants our supply of perishable medications badly enough to risk boarding and robbing a fully staffed cargo ship."

Data moved into the cockpit and sat down in the empty chair to Sisko's left. "Chief O'Brien has also had a busy night... and an encounter with our unknown murderer," he informed the Commander briskly. "I believe the Chief was threatened as a diversionary tactic, so that the accompanying gravitational disturbance would draw attention away from the _Ha'Husia_'s Sickbay." As he spoke, Data's eyes met Odo's. "I know you are angry, but badly need your assistance Constable." He handed Chief O'Brien's tricorder to the still agitated shapeshifter. "Please take this information and give it to Lieutenant Dax. I am also analyzing its data even as we speak, but you must assist her and Major Kira in a thorough investigation of your own so that we can more fully determine specifically what kind of alien appeared tonight in the Captain's quarters. I'm sure you will agree that the cargo ship's internal sensors are wholly inadequate for such a task."

Odo looked up at him with obvious dismay. "How am I supposed to assist Dax and Major Kira if I'm here and they..."

The Constable's words faded rapidly to nothing as a bright blue column of transporter energy seized him and beamed him back aboard the parked _Ha'Husia_ below. Nodding confidently at Sisko, Data took over control of the _Yellowjacket_ and once again angled their small ship due south, accelerating its thrusters quickly to a higher speed. The runabout roared across the night sky at a steadily increasing velocity, swiftly leaving behind the docking area and moving steadily outward as it rapidly left the spaceport in its wake. Below them a large sprawling urban area appeared... it was immediately obvious that the southern edge of the city limits was ringed with hundreds of expensive, private residential homes. A majority of the citizens on Denali Prime worked in the planet's trade industry and were therefore extremely wealthy as a direct result of those efforts.

Sisko's anger finally exploded. "Now just one damned minute," he growled heatedly, glaring at the android. "I want an explanation right now, Mr. Data, before we go _any_ farther with this. You don't just take over a situation like this with a superior officer sitting next to you. For starters it's not very..."

Data ignored Sisko and activated the subspace transceiver on the pilot's console. "Data to Commander Ducane, respond please," he said, continuing to track the fleeing alien life form as he spoke. "Commander, are you receiving this transmission?"

"_Affirmative_." From his position in the 29th century, Ducane had no way to determine who was currently with Data and was therefore extremely hesitant to say anything else... even during a simple voice communication.

"Please lock onto the bio-sign seated to my right and beam Commander Sisko into the future. Give him an immediate tour of the _Relativity_ and run him through the exact same orientation process that you used with Chief O'Brien and Dr. Bashir. I am uploading details from the latest gravimetric disturbance during tonight's encounter aboard the _Ha'Husia_. Feel free to take the necessary time to review that information with the Commander as well."

"_Acknowledged_."

Sisko's expression transitioned instantaneously from anger to puzzlement at the sound of the new voice. "Who is that?" he asked curiously. "What in the _hell_ is going on here Data?"

"You are about to receive that explanation I promised you," the android replied. Both O'Brien and Bashir watched with mild amusement as the bright blue transporter beam from the _Relativity_ surrounded the Commander and promptly swept him forward into the 29th century.

Data smiled at the two of them and then fixed his gaze firmly on Captain Janeway. "I hope that he can find a way to forgive me," he stated with obvious sincerity. "I truly did not want the Commander involved in this matter... the situation is rapidly becoming extremely perilous for all of us and any wrong move on our part threatens to de-stabilize the entire timeline."

"My sincere belief is that he _will_ understand, once Commander Ducane explains the situation to him," the _Voyager_ Captain replied firmly. "I remember my first visit to the _Relativity_, and I can say with great sincerity that a tour of that Timeship of yours is truly an eye-opening experience."

"Where did Paris go?" asked O'Brien curiously. "He never transported up with us."

The android nodded in response. "We do not need him any longer, so I deactivated his holographic program and am in the process of uploading his matrix to the _Relativity_'s main computer. If anyone else asks, our story will be that Tom Paris left us to go looking for work in the Azimuth City spaceports."

"This 'beaming through time' capability is an impressive technological achievement," decided the Chief, admiration obvious in his voice. "That is, the manner in which you can move people and information back and forth through time so easily. The tactical advantage it gives you is enormous."

Janeway watched the android Captain curiously, noticing that Data volunteered nothing about his decision to leave Odo behind. Accessing their shared thoughts, she realized with sudden clarity that the shapeshifter's presence was yet another example of how complicated matters had become. If Odo discovered _anything_ significant about the visitors from the 29th century or the existence of the Preserver subspace network, the eventual links he would make with other members of his race threatened to give away critical information and directly impact the coming Federation war with the Dominion.

Data's mission to this century was intended to put a stop to the timeline tampering already in progress, not initiate additional actions that would have even darker consequences down the road when Odo inevitably joined his consciousness to the group link shared by his people. _The shapeshifter cannot know_... the words floated up from the depths of Data's positronic subconscious, instinctively warning him about the looming danger ahead. _The shapeshifter must never know about _any _of this_.

As though reading his mind, the Doctor spoke up regarding that very subject. "Odo isn't going to be very happy with you," pointed out Dr. Bashir. "He's already upset about the presence of Michael Eddington on Deep Space Nine. He doesn't think we trust him with security any longer, and your nasty habit of constantly beaming people back and forth without permission isn't likely to impress him much. I've seen the Constable upset before, and - trust me - he is _very_ angry with you right now."

The android listened to the Doctor's words and shrugged indifferently. "We are not here to recruit everyone to our cause or nurture their hurt feelings. We are here to correct an unexplained temporal incursion that has the potential to alter the course of the future for much of the Alpha Quadrant." He returned his attention to the cockpit and its view of the darkened, rolling hills of prairie passing beneath them. "I have pinpointed our unknown alien life form," he continued, shrugging aside other matters as unimportant for the moment. "I say we catch our thief and interrogate him."

Flying high in the dark night sky surrounding them, the _Yellowjacket_ continued its relentless, breakneck journey toward the south.

* * *

_U.S.S. Relativity_, Alpha Quadrant, in the 29th Century

* * *

Commander Sisko watched the brash, dark-haired Thomas Joseph Ducane curiously, doing his best to size the man up. The two of them were seated opposite each other in front of a large, oval-shaped table in the center of a small conference room. The table surface was ebony black with a shine that reflected the room's medium intensity lighting from above. Bright, shining stars drifted idly past the windows in the background while the two men remained silent for a moment, mentally reviewing the lengthy exchange that had just concluded.

Finally, Ducane smiled darkly and shrugged his shoulders. "Unfortunately that's about all we know at this point," he said with obvious frustration. "Someone is definitely altering our history, but there is absolutely _no_ evidence of a temporal incursion. Until now, we haven't even had this much to go on." He pointed to the paused image on the room's central viewscreen - a recorded shot from O'Brien's tricorder of the looming, menacing cloaked presence that had somehow interrupted his slumber. Its flaming red eyes were brilliantly lit, peering out from within the hood that shrouded its unseen features from view.

Sisko placed his face in the palms of his hands and softly massaged his tired eyes. "I don't know what to tell you," he admitted. "And I don't know what to tell Captain Data, for that matter. I had no choice but to confront him, since his behavior was so obviously over the line. He left me no choice but to pull rank on him." Shaking his head, the Deep Space Nine Commander chuckled. "Now, if I had _known_ that Data was actually the senior officer, then obviously events might have taken place much differently..." he trailed off and glanced with amusement at Ducane. "How do you people manage to keep all of this straight?" he asked with sincere curiosity. "If I understand you correctly, you recruited an _older_ version of me a year ago in your own past to resolve an entirely different matter. So that's why you were reluctant to contact me again on this occasion?"

"One year ago, our target point was about three - possibly four - years in what will be your future," nodded Ducane. "We needed a link with Bajor's Prophets, and since you are a member of Starfleet as well as Emissary for the Bajorans, the decision made perfect sense. As a Starfleet veteran, you also possess a great deal of combat experience at that point, having helped lead the Federation through some very perilous times. Don't ask me to elaborate further, because I'm not permitted to give out specifics."

Sisko's frustration boiled over. "So _who_ is doing it this time? Just who the _hell _can change Starfleet history without the use of time travel? How is that even possible?"

The words seemed to hang in the air, as if waiting for an immediate response. Ducane had already tried and failed to find an explanation, so he took a moment to pause and returned his thoughts once again to the possibilities he had already reviewed and rejected on multiple occasions. "I honestly don't know Commander Sisko," he replied tersely. "We have been able to confirm that the changes are occurring in _direct_ synchronization with normal events taking place in what is currently your present. Alterations _are_ being introduced, but so far each of them has occurred one after the other in a linear fashion that precisely matches the standard flow of time. This has been an advantage for our side and has allowed us to place Captain Data directly on site. Interacting with your crew in the past, he can learn far more than our scans of the timeline and historical records alone would ever reveal."

"What happens if one man is not enough?" wondered Sisko.

"We have all kinds of options available to us, which is why - on this occasion - we have chosen to utilize holograms of Captain Janeway and Tom Paris. If it becomes necessary, I can also order this entire ship into the past and observe events from the _Relativity_ while it remains cloaked and out of phase with normal space/time. However, that is generally done only when we are conducting a detailed historical analysis of a specific event that requires the use of all of our resources. It is against the rules to get 'caught', and if we are visiting the past there is always the possibility that someone will detect our presence. Our temporal cloaking system is extremely sophisticated, but nothing is ever perfect." He chuckled with forced amusement. "Particularly with beings like the 'Q' running around."

"Explain to me one more time _exactly_ what Data is doing 'on site'," Sisko requested.

Ducane smiled wryly. "As I stated, the timeline changes are occurring one after the other, in linear sequence." He looked Sisko directly in the eyes with a grim expression that conveyed the seriousness of the matter. "In one altered timeline, our records clearly show that Chief O'Brien and two members of your security team died during the airlock explosion near the _Ha'Husia_ while it was docked at your station," he stated matter of factly. "Whoever boarded that ship and frightened its First Officer was not supposed to be there, and his presence - along with the gravimetric distortions it brings - led directly to the death of three people who should have lived. Our records of the original timeline clearly show that. _If_ Data had not directly intervened during the incident there, you would have lost O'Brien and all of his abilities long before he was supposed to have died."

Sisko waited for a moment as Ducane paused. "And?" he said finally, prompting the Commander.

The _Relativity_ Commander frowned noticeably before continuing. "Data's mission has two primary objectives, the first of which is to identify specifically how history is being altered. His second goal is to show up at key points that we feed to him from our position here in the future. When we detect a change that radically alters the future, I transmit the information to the Captain and he makes certain to intervene. Saving O'Brien's life is just one example of how Data's presence and actions in your time are undoing much of the damage as it takes place."

"What about the related murders on Bajor, and in the DMZ?"

"Other Timeships in our fleet are on stand by in case we need to place additional agents in your timeframe," Ducane told him. "Thus far events at Deep Space Nine have had the biggest impact on history, so my colleagues on other vessels have not been nearly as busy as we have."

"You've been lucky." Sisko's words sounded like an accusation, not at all what he had intended.

Again silence temporarily filled the room as the two men paused briefly. "Now that you know the entire story, I could really use your help Commander," admitted Ducane.

"That's _exactly_ what Captain Data told me." Sisko's expression remained impassive and unreadable for a moment. "What do you want me to do?" he asked finally.

Ducane nodded, already smiling with gratitude as he tapped the Comm-badge on his chest lightly. "We're ready Lieutenant," he said with obvious relief.

The door behind him snapped open and a short, attractive blonde woman entered the room. In one hand she held what looked like two Comm-badges, the first of which was identical to Sisko's. The second one matched the shape and design of Commander Ducane's communicator. The Lieutenant carefully placed both devices on the table and handed Ducane what looked like one of Sisko's collar pips. "We're ready whenever you are sir," she told him confidently.

"Commander Benjamin Sisko, this is my colleague... Lt. Jessica Ingram," said Ducane, waving a hand in acknowledgement at her. "She is the undeniably the best temporal scientist we could hope to have on our side in a situation like this."

"The Commander is being extremely gracious," responded Ingram with light sarcasm in her tone. "Which usually means he _wants_ something... another double shift out of me perhaps?"

"Not this time... not if you've done your usual efficient job," Ducane responded. He carefully inspected the collar pip, making certain that everything looked undamaged. When he was satisfied that it was indeed intact and functional, he tossed it into the air. The small device flashed several times, reflecting the room's lighting as it whirled through the air. It arced over the table and - as soon as it descended back to the height of the table surface - the image of Tom Paris flickered instantly into existence. Tom was holding the mobile emitter in his left hand and promptly attached the newly activated mechanism to the collar of his civilian tunic.

"Data has no further need for me, but he wants the Commander and the _Ha'Husia_ to return to Deep Space Nine as soon as possible," Paris informed them, shifting his gaze directly to Sisko. "That way, Captain Data will be able to continue his investigation in the demilitarized zone without us having to place another agent in the past."

"What can I possibly do?" asked Sisko curiously. "Other than pretend everything is normal, that is?"

"Returning immediately to Deep Space Nine will deny our opponent his cargo, and will allow you and Odo an opportunity to lock down the entire station," continued Paris. "The enemy wants and apparently needs gravitons in order to function, so all cargo vessels currently carrying gravitational generators should be held indefinitely and _not_ permitted to leave."

"That's likely to bring our opponent roaring back to confront us," observed Sisko. "Based on everything we've seen thus far, he is likely to be very angry and that will be dangerous to _everyone_ aboard DS9. There are a lot of extra people under my command lately, most of which are Starfleet engineering teams working on our weapons upgrades."

Ducane nodded at Ingram and she smiled in reply before carefully handing Sisko the Comm-badge identical to the one that he currently wore. "Replace your normal communicator with this one until this crisis has been resolved," she told him. "It has an extra feature that will connect you directly to our Comm-system here in the 29th century. As we have done with Captain Data, we can contact and alert you whenever anything significant is about to happen. Changes in your century ripple forward very quickly to ours, at which point our main computer immediately feeds us the updated telemetry. Whenever a crisis is about to occur, we will warn you and place you in position well before it happens."

Sisko nodded. "That will be very helpful," he agreed, accepting the device.

"Be very careful until we discover who or what we're up against," said Ducane sharply. "We have not yet determined whether or not our opponent knows about us. If he can see through time and observe us here in the 29th century, the method of attack may change."

"That's what will be most difficult for me," admitted Sisko. "I am not a temporal agent like Captain Data. So how the hell am I supposed to know what to look for. And if I feel the need to contact you, how do I know what questions are important and which are not?" He held up the new Comm-badge and examined its gold plating carefully. "Do I call you every time I'm tempted to hesitate... each time I'm unsure what to do? Or do I simply react as I normally would during any other crisis?" He focused his gaze directly on Ducane. "You've given me an overview of who you are and what you do, but very little specifics. So you'll forgive me if I'm a little bit skeptical about all of this."

Ducane nodded. "That's why I'm giving you this too," he declared, shoving the second, 29th century Comm-badge slowly across the table. "This looks like one of our communicators, but it is actually a mobile emitter similar to the one Tom Paris is wearing. If you need to talk to somebody, we have created a hologram for you to consult... someone who has worked with us before and who has the good judgment needed to act as your ally in all of this. Other than O'Brien and Bashir, you must not speak with anyone else in your timeline about _any_ of these events. To do so would risk altering the future."

"We'll make certain you have advance notice if something major is in the works," Lt. Ingram reassured him. "But if you need to talk to someone... anyone... then this hologram should help you out. The personality matrix is a 99.99945% match with the original human." She smiled dryly. "Unfortunately, there is only so much information we are legally allowed to share with you, particularly since you will be recruited again. The next time you are transported aboard the _Relativity_, I strongly recommend that you feign ignorance and pretend you've never met us before."

"Which - from our point of view - was approximately one year ago," Ducane sighed heavily. "I know how bizarre and complicated this all sounds... how stupid it must seem..."

"Wonderful." Sisko glanced closely at the horizontal alignment of the badge's logo, a design similar to but very different than the traditional look he was used to. "I strongly suggest that Data start behaving more like a second officer from the _Enterprise_ if he expects to 'blend in'. His actions so far have been much more controlling and Captain-like than he realizes."

"Tell _him_ that," suggested Ducane. "We're sending you directly back to the _Yellowjacket_."

Sisko rose from his seat and glanced briefly at the Paris hologram. "Up until recently, I was convinced we were dealing with the usual smugglers and simple revenge killings," he informed them. "I never in my wildest dreams envisioned a scenario like this one."

* * *

_U.S.S. Yellowjacket_, On the surface of Denali Prime

* * *

Commander Ducane swiftly followed through on his promise to return Benjamin Sisko to the _Yellowjacket_. As Sisko materialized in a small area behind the cockpit, the first thing he noticed was that the runabout had landed. The second thing that caught his attention was the prisoner confined inside a fully powered forcefield... an alien life form apparently captured during his absence. Relieved to be back in the 24th century, he moved back into the passenger cabin to examine the alien more closely.

"It's okay Mr. Data," Sisko reassured the android. "Your Commander Ducane was quite thorough." The android Captain nodded respectfully back at him. The two of them, along with Janeway, O'Brien and Bashir, promptly returned their attention to their new prisoner.

The alien was extremely skinny and very tall - quite obviously an insectoid life form of some sort. Its body - fully extended - stretched nearly two and a half meters in length. Within the confining interior of the runabout, it had been forced to hunch over. The creature stood awkwardly on its lower two legs while the other four arm-like appendages probed constantly along the edges of the forcefield as it meticulously searched for a method of escape. The smaller, upper portion of its body was bright blue with black stripes and - although its longer tail was similarly colored with blue - the longer portion of its body contained a scattering of dark black spots. Periodically the life form would pause briefly to examine each of them with the large, dark compound eyes located on either side of its head. Even though there was no discernible facial expression, the intense gaze coming from so large of a creature was somewhat intimidating to the humans. Along its back were two pairs of retracted, translucent wings... obviously the method it had used to fly and initially elude them.

Flashes of emerald light briefly lit up the cabin, accompanied by an electronic buzz each time the creature touched the powerful force field holding it prisoner. "What is it?" asked O'Brien carefully, keeping his distance even though the alien was so obviously confined. "What is that thing?"

Bashir was scanning the alien thoroughly with a medical tricorder. "It's not a _thing_," he said a bit irritably, correcting the Chief. "It's admittedly _not_ a traditional, bipedal humanoid life form but this is definitely a highly evolved, sentient being."

"The life form is a Zygopterran insectoid," said Data calmly after accessing the needed information from his internal memory. His mind was still linked with the Preserver network, giving him access to substantially more information, but so far he had not required anything additional to what was already available to him. "It is more commonly known as a Zygot. Fossil records obtained by Starfleet probes visiting its home world in the Gamma Quadrant have all indicated that this creature has supposedly been extinct for hundreds of centuries. It is very similar to Earth's damsel fly, but on a much larger scale. I never expected to see a live one; so far Starfleet scientists have had to content themselves with the study of fossil records in order to learn anything useful about this life form."

The Chief snorted with mild amusement. "What the hell is this one doing on Denali Prime?" he asked suspiciously.

Watching the creature carefully, Sisko could see that it was obviously frightened. Its four arm-like appendages continued to stab repeatedly at the force field barrier surrounding it, lighting up the runabout's interior with intermittent flashes of soft green light. "That's a very good question," he commented as his eyes drifted to the briefcase of Delacon-G still tightly strapped to the shoulder of one of the Zygot's upper arms. "Apparently at least one of its goals has been to steal medication from the _Ha'Husia_'s pharmacy, and it didn't mind assaulting our Doctor to get what it wanted."

Chittering nervously, the Zygot continued to struggle frantically within the force field barrier as its agitation continued to escalate. Bright flares of green energy lit up the rectangular walls of its small prison, frustrating the alien even more. "It is definitely a Zygopterran," acknowledged Bashir, snapping the whirring tricorder closed with a snap. "And that steady clicking noise that it makes is undoubtedly some sort of intelligent, insectoid language."

"I wonder what it's saying..." O'Brien smiled dryly. "'Let me out of here', perhaps?"

"I am trying to determine that now... please stand by." Utilizing his neural link, Data activated the _Yellowjacket_'s universal translator... a device much more sophisticated than the simple database built into standard, 24th century communicators. He also used his neural link to tie directly into the language database concealed within the Preserver network, and without telling the others quickly downloaded the information needed to translate the Zygot's speech patterns. Within seconds the runabout's main computer received the information needed to decipher the strange, odd clicks of the alien language.

_"Please...you _must _release me immediately..."_ The strange, odd chattering of the alien suddenly transitioned into a strange, shrill-like voice that appeared to have no gender. _"The longer I stay here... the more dangerous it becomes for my people. The Overseer will be angry."_

Chief O'Brien snorted loudly. "Overseer? Is your Overseer the _thing_ that woke me up earlier?"

Light laughter came from Janeway's direction. "Again with the 'thing' reference Chief," she said, shaking her head at his obvious emotional state.

Momentarily baffled by the situation, Ben Sisko placed his hands on his hips and simply stared at the alien creature. "Your people... are _extinct_," he told the Zygot emphatically, watching its tall, spindly body slowly hunch farther down toward the floor as it abandoned its attempts to escape. Its wings fluttered briefly and started to emerge from their inert position along its back, buzzing loudly before once again slowing to a stop and retracting. "You have _stolen_ from us," the Commander continued. "You have taken medication that requires constant refrigeration. If you don't return it to us immediately, its potency will decay much more quickly and it will no longer be usable."

_"My people... need... this medication... they are dying..."_

His unflappable inquisitive nature also awakened by what he saw, Captain Data stepped forward with a busy tricorder electronically whirring in his right hand. "Where exactly are your people dying?" he asked curiously. "According to our records they no longer exist. We have never before encountered your species." He studied the data closely, instantly processing the new information as he spoke.

_"Please... My people... need... this medication... do not take it away."_

"Where were you taking the medication?" Data persisted. "Where are your people?"

_"I have a ship nearby... and will take you to them. You can follow me, but only if you promise to help."_ The Zygot continued to speak, but its remaining words were perceptible only as the familiar clicks and chirps that it had made during its initial attempt to converse.

O'Brien chuckled at the sudden flood of indecipherable noise. "What does that nonsense mean?" he asked, his brow furrowing with puzzlement.

"The Zygot is giving me coordinates that match the location of its home world in the Gamma Quadrant," replied Data, shifting his gaze back to Sisko.

"Which, according to Starfleet records, is deserted," the Commander added.

_"The Dominion nearly destroyed my people... they did not succeed... we have survived..."_

"Our records seem to indicate otherwise," countered Janeway.

"This is a most curious development that we find ourselves faced with." Data continued scanning the creature thoroughly, even though Doctor Bashir seemed content for the moment to simply watch it.

Sisko also studied the strange, odd alien life form. Its arms and legs had now gone still while it waited for a reply. "Could this entity have somehow been displaced here... transported to this point in time from somewhere in our past?" he wondered.

Data activated his Comm-badge. "Data to Commander Ducane, respond please."

"_Affirmative... this is Ducane._"

"Commander, has the _Relativity_ detected recent temporal incursions of any kind in this sector?"

There was a pause as Data's First Officer took a moment to double-check with someone on his end of the transmission. "_We keep scanning sir, but so far there is nothing detectable... nothing since the incursion created by your initial arrival_."

"Acknowledged." Data terminated the transmission and returned his attention to Sisko. "Did the Paris hologram relay my message to you regarding the quarantine of Deep Space Nine?"

The Commander nodded. "Paris indicated that you want me to take the _Ha'Husia_ back to the station and quarantine every ship with gravity-related equipment on board. That could be very dangerous for my crew... most of whom will not know the full story behind what is happening."

"Unfortunately, we do not have many alternatives available to us," countered Data. He studied the Zygot curiously for a moment. "I intend to free the alien and follow him back to his planet," he informed Sisko. "I would appreciate it if you could return and control the situation at Deep Space Nine. I would also be extremely grateful if you would allow Chief O'Brien and Doctor Bashir to accompany me."

The Commander raised an eyebrow as both O'Brien and Bashir turned toward Data in shock and simultaneously said, "_What?_"

"All right," Sisko decided. "Dax, Odo, the Major and I will take the _Ha'Husia_ back to Deep Space Nine and look into the sales history of gravimetric generators in this sector. We'll do our best to stop the flow of them into the DMZ and buy you some time."

Immediately the Zygot resumed its clicking and chirping. _"The Overseer will be very angry when it does not get its equipment... you are unwise to anger it."_

"We will follow this life form to his planet and see if there is anything interesting to be found there," said Data, choosing to ignore their prisoner's commentary for the moment.

"Ducane's briefing included a preliminary analysis of what happened to Chief O'Brien earlier tonight," said Sisko. "This Overseer apparently has the ability to appear at any location it chooses. There will likely be danger where you are going too, especially if you manage to turn up anything useful."

"An investigation is the only way to determine specifically what is going on," pointed out Janeway. "I'd like to ride along too... I'm less vulnerable to injury than your two colleagues here." She waved a hand casually toward Chief O'Brien and Dr. Bashir.

Sisko examined Data's tricorder, noticing the coordinates of the Zygopterran home world displayed on its small screen. "The Dominion will likely attack anything that enters the Gamma Quadrant," he observed cautiously.

"I can cloak the _Yellowjacket_ so that even Jem'Hadar sensors will not detect it," responded the android.

"We can't cross time and space as quickly as you can," protested Sisko. "We rely on the wormhole and good old fashioned warp drive, so if you end up needing assistance it will take us quite some time to reach you in the _Defiant_."

"If we need help, I will summon Commander Ducane and have him bring the _Relativity_ back to this timeframe," promised Data. "Like your small, over-powered starship, my vessel also has significant firepower."

"Keep in touch, regardless of what happens." Sisko requested, jerking a thumb in the direction of O'Brien and Bashir. "I rely pretty heavily on those two, even if I occasionally give them a rough time."

"I will do everything in my power to keep them safe," Data promised, turning back to the Zygot. The creature watched him carefully with its large, unblinking compound eyes. "We have decided to let you go. In exchange, you will allow us to follow you to your home world and assist us in gathering additional information about you and your people."

_"Yes... yes, I agree... I must return with the medication."_

The android nodded. "Matters are settled then."

"I wish I could explain all of this to Keiko and Molly," mused O'Brien. "It would be a great story and they'd love to hear it." He took careful note of the bland expression on Data's face and his complete lack of reaction, smiling reassuringly. "I _won't_ of course, but it would be nice if I _could_."


	6. Journey To Babel

**Star Trek: Reign Of Terror**

**Chapter VI: Journey To Babel**

* * *

_U.S.S. Yellowjacket_, 14 Kilometers South of Azimuth City

* * *

Only minutes after promising to release the Zygopterran insectoid from its force field confinement, Captain Data kept his word. The creature moved cautiously forward toward the _Yellowjacket_'s slowly opening exit hatch as soon as the energy field surrounding it dissipated with a final electronic snapping noise. The alien paused briefly in the doorway, glancing back one last time toward the small group of people still curiously watching it. It regarded them thoughtfully with its large, multi-faceted dark eyes.

_"I am called Klikek", _stated the Zygot proudly. _"Your compassion and generosity towards me... and toward those who need this medication... on this occasion is most appreciated."_

"We require information," Data responded in kind. "You are offering us the opportunity to learn more about you and where you come from. Therefore we also will benefit from this arrangement. Go about your business and do not worry... even if it appears to your ship's sensors as though you have lost us, I assure you we will be close by."

The creature's gaze focused suddenly on the Doctor. _"I am truly sorry I attacked you...."_ Klikek admitted, his strange clicking language taking several seconds to translate. _"Most I have met have not been cooperative... I did not see any other way to get what I needed."_

Bashir placed a hand on the tender, bandaged wound near the back of his head and smiled. "I am glad we found a way to be friends," he replied with a small smile. "It is an honor to make your acquaintance."

Utilizing its four upper arms and working swiftly, Klikek suddenly pulled forth the medication case it still held protectively against the right side of its abdomen and opened it. Using one appendage to pluck a single vial from within, it reached across the runabout's passenger compartment and handed the small sample of the precious, perishable vaccine tentatively to Julian. The Doctor accepted the medication cautiously, but not without a look of puzzlement.

_"When we get where we are going... you will need this..._" Klikek told him firmly. "_...and once we arrive at my planet... the Overseer may no longer permit me to assist you. We are very busy assembling his Temple-to-all-places."_

"What do you mean?" asked Bashir curiously, ignoring the alien's last words. "_Why_ will I need this?"

Klikek turned back toward the open exit. _"You will soon discover why."_

Uttering those final, cryptic words the creature was suddenly gone, launching itself powerfully out into the night and flying instantly away from them. Its fully extended wings began buzzing instantly as they worked steadily to hold the alien aloft. O'Brien saw one last flash of light from inside the runabout reflect off of the Zygot's wings before the view outside was once again limited solely to the dimly lit, rough terrain of the planet's nighttime surface. Several seconds passed in complete silence before Data finally activated the hatch's closing mechanism.

"Sensors indicate that Klikek's shuttle is indeed close by," the android stated informatively. "We should all prepare to leave orbit immediately." He waved a hand casually at the empty seats in the passenger cabin while walking back toward the _Yellowjacket_'s cockpit. After seating himself in the pilot's chair he turned briefly to face Benjamin Sisko. "Deep Space Nine must no longer be used as a transfer point for gravity generating equipment," he cautioned the station commander. "Whoever or whatever this Overseer is, it manipulates and relies upon gravitons in order to breach subspace where and when it wishes to. Since requests for significant amounts of this equipment have steadily been increasing on cargo ship inventories over the past few months, I would theorize that Klikek's Overseer periodically needs to recapture the gravitons it expends."

"Don't worry, I'll hold up our end," Sisko promised, bracing both arms above his head firmly against the upper framework lining the cockpit entrance as he peered intently inside.

"If I am unable to reach you, _trust_ Commander Ducane," the android suggested with a confident nod. "He will be able to assist you in keeping the timeline stabilized until I return." Satisfied that Sisko knew what to do, Data returned his attention to the controls in front of him and activated the runabout's transporter system. Taking care to scan for an empty room on board the _Ha'Husia_, he promptly beamed Sisko back to the Bajoran merchant vessel. Once that was taken care of, he diverted the _Yellowjacket_'s sensors into a broader search pattern, sweeping the entire area for signs of other activity.

O'Brien pointed to the empty seat next to Data and then seated himself comfortably as the android nodded affirmatively in reply to his unspoken request. "Will these controls work normally for me as well?" the Chief asked curiously, pointing at the brightly lit helm and navigation consoles.

"Everything that you see aboard this vessel functions exactly like the controls aboard any standard Federation runabout from this era," Data informed him. "The engine core is significantly different and there are many hidden features built into this vessel, but only I can access them. All additional command functions that are available using concealed 29th century technology are accessible only to me unless permission is first granted to someone else via my neural link." He smiled with mock amusement at O'Brien's expression. "So feel free to familiarize yourself with my ship."

"Since you have pinpointed its location, I simply want a closer look at the Zygot's ship," admitted O'Brien, touching the sensor controls on the co-pilot's station. "I'm curious to see what type of design an insectoid life form would choose to fly in." On the central viewscreen in front of them, Klikek's small vessel was already rising fast into orbit even as they watched. The Chief's inquisitive nature regarding all things engineering prompted him to pull up a detailed analysis of its configuration anyway.

Standing directly behind the Chief, both Janeway and Bashir were peering over O'Brien's shoulder and watching closely. "That's a pretty small shuttle," pointed out the Doctor.

"Yes. Very small indeed," agreed O'Brien. "From above it looks like a moth. It's basically a small pod at the front, with thin dorsal wings reaching back to protect the central, engineering section. Other than that the Zygot craft is very similar to the various ships we fly, including a small warp nacelle hooked underneath each wing." He touched a few more controls, spinning the layout of the ship 90 degrees so he could study its dimensions from a side view. "The power output signature is extraordinary for a ship that small... I believe our insectoid friend has some serious technology of his own aboard that ship."

"I expected as much," Data admitted. "The site-to-site transport Klikek initiated from a location so distant from his vessel requires a very detailed working knowledge of transporter technology. A species unfamiliar with the intricacies of the process would be hesitant to try it without decades of experimentation and enhancement. Even as recently as a hundred years ago in our own history, Starfleet personnel serving aboard Constitution-Class starships still considered even intra-ship beaming to be a rare and risky process. Klikek boarded the _Ha'Husia_ using the transporter from a shuttle parked over a dozen kilometers distant. He did so without first beaming back to it, so he obviously has a lot of confidence in his systems."

Throughout O'Brien's analysis and their subsequent discussion, the _Yellowjacket_ had lifted off from the surface of Denali Prime and was roaring into orbit as rapidly as the alien vessel it pursued. Klikek's ship nosed gradually higher in the atmosphere, its vapor trail clearly visible as it crisscrossed their view through the cockpit windows in front of them. The exterior visual pickups remained firmly focused on the shuttle itself, displaying a close up image of the alien vessel directly in the center of their viewscreen. Both ships continued rising higher and higher above the clouds until even Denali Prime's atmosphere began to thin noticeably.

"Perhaps when we reach our destination, Klikek will let me take a look at the inside," mused the Chief thoughtfully. "I would certainly take him up on the opportunity if he offered."

"Based on what we've seen so far, I wouldn't count on that," predicted Janeway. "I don't think we're finished running into surprises on this trip, Chief."

O'Brien glanced back at her and harrumphed. "I would have to agree Captain," he admitted reluctantly.

Minutes later they watched as the small Zygopterran spacecraft broke orbit from Denali Prime and plowed steadily toward the distant edge of the solar system. The runabout maintained its pursuit course as both ships moved steadily outward and away from the central star. Finally, the alien vessel's impulse engines shut down and Klikek's shuttle slowed almost to a complete stop. A radiant beam of scarlet energy flared outward from an emitter port on the nose of the shuttle and opened a large, crimson energy rift. As the curious Starfleet crew watched curiously from inside the _Yellowjacket_, a bright reddish-orange tunnel crackling with radiant energy quickly formed at the center of the distortion.

"Truly remarkable," noted Data with sincere admiration, recognizing the familiar energy signature of a quantum slipstream. "That small vessel has the ability to tunnel all the way through subspace, allowing it instant access to the Gamma Quadrant. "I would not be at all surprised to discover that Klikek's vessel is capable of traversing time as well as space." Even as they watched, the small ship that they continued to pursue suddenly plunged directly into the center of the fluctuating anomaly and vanished.

Altering course and steering the _Yellowjacket_ directly toward the center of the alien wormhole, Data quickly followed Klikek inside. The cockpit windows blazed brightly as swirling waves of orange and red energy shook their vessel. Caught up in the quantum slipstream surrounding it, the Starfleet runabout rocketed swiftly across the galaxy much faster than warp drive alone could ever have propelled it.

"You did mention that the _Yellowjacket_ has a cloaking device," pointed out O'Brien, clearing his throat in a manner that indicated to Data that the Chief still did not feel entirely safe... even aboard the runabout. "And you also indicated that you would make use of it."

"Affirmative. Our cloaking system has been active since we left orbit," the android reassured him. "Sit back and enjoy the ride Chief... you are quite safe while aboard this vessel."

* * *

Gamma Quadrant, Star System DNX-170471629

* * *

The _Yellowjacket_ emerged twenty minutes later from the spatial rift and soared into the Gamma Quadrant near a small, four planet solar system. Data took a moment to verify their location and nodded affirmatively in O'Brien's direction. "We are indeed where we are supposed to be," he declared. "The second planet of this star system once boasted a very large population of Zygopterrans. No one knows for certain exactly what happened; only that Klikek's world is now completely devoid of sentient life."

Doctor Bashir was browsing through information displayed on Chief O'Brien's console, and he shook his head with dismay. "DNX-170471629," he said out loud. "The star in this solar system doesn't even have a _name_, Chief... just a really large astronomical catalogue number."

The Chief chuckled with amusement in response to the Doctor's statement. "Records indicate two Federation science probes passed nearby this system shortly after discovery of the Bajoran wormhole," he added. "Other than that, no one has ever given this place more than a passing glance." He looked toward Data, watching the android's stern-faced profile as the _Yellowjacket_ steadily moved inside the outer perimeter of the solar system. "Why would anyone care about this place, much less travel here?"

"Apparently, there have been quite a few ships moving through this star system," noted Data sharply as the sensor console suddenly lit up. Bright streaks of red began to appear on its screen, all of them leading directly outward from the second planet. Within seconds the sensor net had logged dozens of additional hits, displaying each of them so that the Starfleet officers could study the telemetry further.

"What are those... are they fuel trails?" asked Janeway curiously. She was standing directly to the left of the Doctor, also observing the busy sensor activity displayed on O'Brien's panel.

"Yes, believe it or not the sensors are detecting traces of impulse exhaust," noted O'Brien with a raised eyebrow. He glanced back at his two colleagues. "Someone has been flying in and out of this system pretty frequently for the past several weeks. I'd say at least two hundred separate shuttle trips have been made." He held up his hands with frustration after evaluating a fresh sensor analysis of the second planet. "But there is absolutely _nothing_ significant to be found on the surface... even the life readings down there are plants, trees and smaller animal life. I'm not detecting sentient life forms or energy signatures of any type - could there be a cloaked base of some sort down there?"

Data hesitated only a few seconds before responding. "Negative," he replied firmly. "I have access to enhanced sensors, and they have shown no evidence of a cloaking field." Beside his right hand the tactical console suddenly began bleeping loudly and flashing bright red. "However, the considerable traffic in and out of this system has attracted some unwanted attention."

O'Brien felt his blood freeze as he recognized the energy signatures of the newcomers. "It's the bloody Jem Hadar," he said softly.

"Affirmative." Data's internal link provided him with instantaneous sensor updates. "Two of their attack cruisers were hiding behind the planet's moon, waiting for someone to show up. Now that they have gotten their wish, both vessels have locked onto a direct interception course with Klikek's shuttle."

Bashir felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. "Well... _stop_ them!" he practically shouted, a little more loudly than he intended to. His cheeks reddening with embarrassment, the Doctor exhaled with frustration. "If we want to learn anything useful here, I _strongly_ suggest that we intervene."

Data nodded without answering Bashir. The android was busily watching a pair of beetle-shaped Jem'Hadar warships accelerate to high impulse velocity as they continued to close in on Klikek's small shuttle. "I am dropping our cloak," he declared suddenly, glancing briefly at Chief O'Brien and daring him to protest. "We will be able to intimidate them much more easily if they can see us." O'Brien's expression was obviously concerned, but he didn't say anything.

"_We're_ going to intimidate _them?_" Bashir inquired, clearly feeling a rise in his anxiety level. Fortunately, he had calmed down noticeably.

Both enemy vessels tried to close within weapons range of the Zygotian vessel, but each of them suddenly lost all forward velocity as Data unexpectedly locked a tractor beam firmly onto each warship. Throwing the _Yellowjacket_'s engines into full reverse, he brought both of the larger starships to a very abrupt stop while holding onto both of them firmly. Each enemy ship instantly turned sharply in a different direction and attempted unsuccessfully to re-engage their engines.

"_Whoa_," gasped O'Brien, noting the huge, abrupt increase of power output from the runabout's warp engine. Both Starfleet tractor beams - usually, a mild bluish-green in coloration - blazed bright red as they clung tightly to the enemy starships. "Starfleet intelligence reports I've read all indicate that the hulls of Jem'Hadar attack cruisers are highly resistant to most tractor beams... that they will almost always deflect them."

"My tractor beam technology is not like most," replied Data with a smirk, refusing to elaborate further. Everyone watched curiously and with growing anticipation as the Jem'Hadar crews aboard the two vessels suddenly realized that a small, Federation runabout had appeared behind them. Noticing that the tiny ship had somehow snared both of them with its tractor emitters, their response was immediate. Multiple white hot polaron beams lashed out at the _Yellowjacket_ immediately, stabbing at its fully powered shields. O'Brien and Bashir braced themselves for the usual expected pounding associated with an all out attack, but were pleasantly surprised to discover that the enemy weapons proved to be completely useless against 29th century shielding.

"I take it your shields are _also_ unique," grumbled O'Brien irritably, exhaling slowly but with obvious relief as the runabout rumbled slightly but remained otherwise unaffected by the assault.

Once again Data chose not to lie to his allies, opting instead to simply remain silent. He had discovered, during his many interactions with the Preserver subspace network, that the protocols set in place by the operating system governing it required _fairness_ in the use of its resources. Since initially connecting to it back on Denali Prime in order to assist Chief O'Brien during the Overseer's attack aboard the _Ha'Husia_, the android Captain had been steadily downloading significant quantities of information from the subspace realm.

Deciding to make efficient use of the Jem'Hadar's predictable attack, Data chose to donate back to the Preserver network what it needed most in order to remain functional... _energy_. Tapping into the alien network's massive collectors, he opened a small subspace pocket and easily linked an invisible conduit of pure energy directly to the _Yellowjacket_'s shield grid just before the enemy weapons fire slammed into them. The deflectors barely lit up as - constructed specifically to store unbelievable amounts of reserve power - the Preserver network's resources easily absorbed the energy from the Jem'Hadar assault and channeled it into massive batteries concealed deep within the folds of subspace.

Noticing that their initial assault was so completely and easily thwarted, the Jem'Hadar promptly switched tactics and proceeded to launch a steady, ongoing barrage of torpedoes. The entire cockpit lit up with brilliant flashes of red and orange fire as matter/anti-matter explosions continually pounded away at the _Yellowjacket_'s shields. Even while enduring an all-out assault from both warships, the vast majority of the expended energy was instantaneously absorbed by the subspace network or deflected away by the runabout's powerful defenses.

Chief O'Brien watched with complete and utter astonishment as their shield generators held firmly at 98 percent of maximum capacity on the console indicator in front of him. Finally, realizing that the tiny runabout was in fact still very safely protected, he cast a look of shocked disbelief in the direction of the android Captain sitting next to him. "Are you going to hit them back?" he asked tentatively, unsuccessfully attempting to gauge Data's reaction by his blank expression. "I hope you realize that the only thing preventing those monsters from killing us is your superior technology."

"Every death in this timeframe has a significant impact on our long term future," Data reminded him. "Even this small conflict will have at least some influence on what happens years from now, specifically because those two ships are currently here... fighting us at this location instead of patrolling wherever they are supposed to be."

Data closed his eyes and concentrated for several seconds, utilizing his neural link to wirelessly tap into the main computers on both enemy vessels. Such an action was supposed to be impossible, but the android Captain from the future simply had too many resources at his disposal. Almost immediately, the weapons fire came to a complete stop and shortly thereafter both ships lost most of their power and began slow, awkward spins. Conducting a brief analysis of the energy expenditure generated by the Jem'Hadar weapons fire, the android discovered that he had gained significant additional privileges within the Preserver's subspace realm thanks to his unexpected 'donation' to their cause. He had confirmed his suspicions and discovered irrevocably that the best way to gain credibility and within the alien network was a simple one... _give more than you receive_.

"How the devil did you do that?" asked Janeway, watching the out of control enemy ships rotating clumsily on the viewscreen. The warship closest to them began listing to port, and there was absolutely no sign that either vessel retained significant power of any kind.

"I have infiltrated their computer systems, shut down all major command functions on both vessels and locked in my own private access code," the android informed them. "With the single exception of life support, their major systems are now powerless. Once we have concluded our business in this star system, I will release control back to the Jem'Hadar and allow them to leave."

"You're a lot more compassionate than I would be in your place," O'Brien decided firmly. "Not too long ago, I watched those bloody bastards destroy the starship _Odyssey_ without the slightest hesitation."

"I believe that - before all is said and done in your lifetime - you will have had your fill of war Chief," predicted Data. He dropped both tractor beams and accelerated the _Yellowjacket_ past the powerless Jem'Hadar warships, maneuvering directly toward the second planet of the local star system. Both enemy cruisers continued to spin slowly, their crews contained within and temporarily helpless. The android Captain paid them no further heed, focusing his attention instead on the amber-hued planet rotating steadily in front of them. Several medium-sized oceans were scattered across its surface, but much of its strangely colored ground composition remained unfamiliar.

"The vibrant intensity generated by the star in this system has dropped tremendously over the years," pointed out O'Brien helpfully. "This is barely an 'M' Class planet any longer."

"Klikek," said Bashir suddenly, meeting the Chief's gaze firmly as O'Brien glanced over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow of puzzlement. "If our new friend is indeed the sole surviving member of his race," continued the Doctor, "Then I think that it is only fair to name the planet after him. To honor both our newfound friend and his people, we should name this planet Klikek."

"Why not Zygopterra?" O'Brien countered, turning slightly to face the Doctor. "Or Zigotia?" He shook his head. "Klikek is hard to pronounce - too much like that odd language he speaks. I'm sorry Julian, but it just doesn't sound like a place anyone would really want to visit."

Janeway pointed at the sensor indicators blinking for attention on the Chief's sensor console. "Speaking of our friend Klikek," she pointed out abruptly. "_Where_ did he go? His ship no longer shows up."

O'Brien spun his seat back to face forward and verified her claim. "You're right," he said with disbelief. "His shuttle _is_ gone... it appears to have disappeared into thin air."

"I have been tracking the shuttle during our encounter with the Jem'Hadar," Data informed them. "It descended into the atmosphere and moved toward a mountainous region near the center of the largest northern continent." He didn't share with them the fact that he had tagged Klikek's vessel with an electronic tracking signature via the Preserver network, or that - even with the enhanced search capability in place - the small ship had still managed to somehow vanish completely from all available sensors. "We are beginning our own descent into the planet's atmosphere, and once we are nearer to the surface I will be able to pinpoint his last known location more accurately."

* * *

Eventually the _Yellowjacket_'s flight path across the rugged, mountainous terrain brought them to a small, heavily forested valley. The wooded lowlands were bordered on the west and east by long lines of huge mountains stretching high above the misted cloud cover above. Each side of the valley was bordered - for kilometers stretching to the north and south - with tall peaks that would be almost completely impassible for anyone on the surface who attempted to cross them. A thin, winding river bent and twisted its way through the center of the valley. Despite the impressive view, it wasn't the actual landscape that captured everyone's attention.

"Now _how_ about that?" gasped Bashir, pointing toward the view through the wide, angled cockpit windows of the runabout. It was clearly obvious to everyone watching that something unbelievable had been done to the mountains that they were currently flying over. Something had been done that seemed impossible to conceive of, even with modern technological societies so widespread in the galaxy surrounding them.

"If I wasn't looking at this with my own eyes, I'd never believe it," admitted O'Brien.

The _Yellowjacket_ slowed, continuing to shed velocity and descend as it moved in a leisurely, southern course while hovering several thousand meters above the forested, central valley. To the west and to the east of them, it appeared as though a giant hand holding an enormous meat cleaver had simply chopped away one third of the mountain sides facing each side of the valley and then scooped away the rubble. The mountains along each border simply ended in a smooth, vertical cliff face that looked completely unnatural and clearly man made. The flat, perpendicular cliff-like drop offs that had been created stretched for dozens of kilometers to the north and south of their current position. Occasionally there was a minor bend in each line of rugged peaks to the east or to the west, but primarily both ranges followed a reasonably straight line.

"It's an impressive achievement, to say the least," commented Janeway with a small curl of her lip. "Someone has been doing some serious reorganizing down there, and I doubt that it was Mother Nature. But I find myself asking the question... _why_ would someone bother doing all of that?"

Data accessed the sensor controls and put up a display of the flat, cliff face to the west of them. He spun the runabout 90 degrees to face the massive side of a huge mountain as the main computer used the _Yellowjacket_'s scanning systems to carefully scrutinize the surface area in front of it. Bright green crosshairs centered on an area directly in front of them and then moved steadily upward along the flat, vertically rising surface of the truncated mountainside. When it reached a point approximately 1,300 meters from the peak the crosshairs paused and began blinking rapidly. Nodding with satisfaction, the android swiveled in his seat to face the others.

"The trail from Klikek's engines leads directly into the side of that mountain; right up to the point where the target crosshairs have indicated. As we have observed, his vessel simply vanished from our sensors after reaching that point."

"Vanished? Or did he crash?" Janeway wanted to be certain.

"There is no evidence of any impact, explosion, or of residual debris," noted O'Brien thoughtfully. "However, there _is_ an unknown energy signature of some kind at the exact spot where he vanished." Intrigued, he took over the sensors while Data watched contentedly and adjusted them to focus more clearly on the area in question. A hexagonal shaped area surrounding the green crosshairs suddenly flashed brightly in red. "It looks like some kind of energy gateway, approximately nine meters in diameter. It doesn't appear to be a holographic projection, so where exactly that entrance leads to... well, your guess at this point would be as good as mine."

"An interesting challenge has been presented to us by our new alien friend," Data decided.

"Indeed. Do we follow Klikek's shuttle through or do we end our pursuit here?" Janeway posed the question thoughtfully, watching each of them carefully for a reaction.

O'Brien snorted with amusement. "With all respect that is due Captain, we didn't come this far just to give up and go home."

"Even so, we have no idea where that leads to," Bashir countered. "There could be a hostile enemy waiting for us on the other side of... well, on the other side."

Data pointed - not to the viewscreen - but at the cockpit windows and the spectacular panorama in front of them. "Do you notice how far up the cliff face the portal is?" he observed. "It is extremely high off the ground, where only a ship or a life form capable of flight can reach it."

"I say we go through, and see where that thing takes us," O'Brien persisted, waving a hand toward the windows. They were hovering in the empty space directly in front of the massive, flat side of the mountain - precisely where the rest of it would have been if something had not cut it cleanly away. The flat surface area in front of them was almost totally perpendicular to the distant planet's surface below. Whatever had become of the rest of the mountain continued to remain an unanswered riddle. The Chief studied the unusual sight for a few moments before coming to a conclusion. "If we want answers, then I expect that the other side of that electronic doorway is where we will find them."

"I concur," the android agreed. He reached for the Comm-system controls and opening a channel to his colleagues in the 29th century. "Data to Commander Ducane. Commander, are you receiving?"

The communications board crackled with mild distortion that cleared almost immediately. "_He's currently off-shift Captain_." Lt. Jessica Ingram's voice sounded calm and unconcerned. "_Is there something we can help you with?_"

"Indeed there is." Data's fingers danced quickly across the console controls, and most of the indicators flashed brightly as he swiftly entered commands into the system faster than any normal humanoid could ever manage. "I am uploading our latest visual logs and telemetry into the _Relativity_'s main computer. A short while ago, we were tracking a small ship that passed through an electronic portal of some sort. We have located the phenomenon in question and plotted its specific location. At the precise instant the vessel we followed disappeared from our sensors, the _Yellowjacket_'s scanners detected traces of Berthold and Delta radiation."

"_Interesting_," Jess Ingram replied curiously. "_That sounds consistent with the energy signature created by a dimensional shift of some sort. No wonder there have been no detectable temporal events_."

"That is exactly what I was thinking." Data finished the data upload and his hands came to a sudden stop. "We plan to follow the vessel through the rift and discover what is on the other side. It is probable that we will lose the ability to communicate with you once we do so."

"_How long do you want us to wait before sending a rescue party?_" Ingram asked with a trace of amusement in her voice. "_You have no idea what you'll find in an alien realm, and if you don't return within a reasonable time period, I expect that Commander Ducane will be hard to restrain once he decides to come after you_."

"I would suggest that you wait at least three hours," Data suggested politely. "After that, our good friend Commander Ducane is welcome to come rushing to our rescue if he wishes to."

"_Acknowledged_." Ingram paused for a few more seconds while reviewing some of the new telemetry that Data had sent to her. "_While you're gone, we'll run a scan on the alien ship's crossover signature... it will be interesting to see how many trips have been made back and forth over the past few weeks_."

"I predict your scans will reveal at minimum two hundred," concluded Data, glancing at O'Brien as he remembered the impulse fuel trails that they had scanned upon first entering the star system.

"_We'll let you know as soon as you get back_," promised Data's Second Officer. "_Ingram out_."

Data regarded O'Brien, Janeway and Bashir thoughtfully. "Someone is very interested in our galaxy and in this timeline." He fired up the runabout's maneuvering thrusters and nodded confidently. "Brace yourselves everyone, we're about to fly into the side of this mountain."

"Then I would suggest you fly slowly," suggested Janeway.

* * *

The view through the cockpit changed only subtly. The runabout passed through the hexagonally shaped energy barrier traveling in a westerly direction, yet the first thing that Data noticed was that they emerged facing east. Other than that, the basics of the landscape surrounding them didn't appear to have changed all that much. The _Yellowjacket_ was still hovering below the low hanging cloud cover of an azure-tinged sky. Even the flat-surfaced, truncated artificial cliff faces of the mountains that bordered the east and west sides of the central valley were still there. It didn't take long, however, for the Starfleet crew to discover that much around them was indeed significantly different.

Curious as to the reason for the direction change, Data altered the viewscreen's image to an aft visual of the area behind them. Again they were looking at the flat, perpendicular surface of the artificially created cliff side, but this time there was a hexagonally-shaped metallic rim surrounding the nine meter portal that they had maneuvered through. The energy barrier itself continued to remain invisible to the human eye, but it was immediately obvious to everyone aboard the runabout that the metal frame served as a generator of some sort for the portal. And that was only the beginning...

_Surrounding the gateway they had moved through and stretching up, down, and for kilometers in all directions, an entire series of interlocked, identical hexagonal shaped metallic frames had been attached to the flat, artificially constructed perpendicular surface of the mountains. The_ Yellowjacket _had passed through one gateway, but there were astonishingly many more of them... thousands in fact._

"I'm detecting sentient life signs down there... _lots_ of them," said O'Brien excitably from his co-pilot's seat as the console in front of him instantly blurted out an electronic warning. "It appears that there is a thriving Zygopterran society down there." Even as he spoke the words, several of the winged aliens buzzed past the cockpit windows and gave them a fleeting, inquisitive glance before turning and flying away. Behind them several work shuttles followed close behind - each of them very similar to Klikek's vessel and towing more of the hexagonal shaped gateways via tractor beam.

"This is an alternate universe of some sort," Janeway gasped, leaning forward so that she had a clearer view through the windows. "Probably a mirror universe... something parallel to our own reality."

The _Yellowjacket_ continued to drift slowly east, moving steadily across the valley below them. "Notice the opposite cliff face," indicated Data, pointing his right index finger toward the eastern mountainous border region. "There are thousands more of the hexagonal gateways built into its surface as well." Even as he spoke the words, he remembered the words of Jean-Luc Picard as he described the images shown to him in the vision provided to him by the Preserver subspace network. Those words floated suddenly back to the surface of Data's mind, touching his positronic thoughts...

* * *

_Jean-Luc watched the image in his mind reverse itself, as though he were looking in a mirror. Suddenly the Milky Way roared toward him again, but this time the Starfleet ships he saw laid waste to everything in their path. He watched a Constitution class starship very similar to James Kirk's - the _Defiant_ - maim and kill the populations of whole planets in the name of an Empress Sato. Before his eyes centuries passed in mere seconds, as an entire Empire rose from the ashes of years of war on Earth, peaked in its 23rd century, and then fell into ruin at the hands of an angry, bitter Klingon, Cardassian, and Bajoran alliance. Earth humans in its 24th century were followed and persecuted wherever they fled, and most of them ended up with no choice but to toil endlessly as slaves in order to keep alive the slim hope of surviving long enough to see one more day. _

_ONE possible home that is NOT yours, _suggested the voice inside Picard's head firmly_. ONE possible home among an INFINITE number of homes._

_As if to prove this point, the image of the mirror universe receded as it had before, and as before the struggling, oppressed humans in the vision that he had been watching shrank instantly into a tiny pinprick of bright light. But this time there were no stars, instead he was looking at a vast, geometrically organized pattern of billions of other points of light that appeared neatly positioned around the central point leading to the evil Starfleet Empire. Picard sensed instinctively that he was looking at an intersection of doorways allowing access to countless other universes. Some of those alternate realities would no doubt be very similar to his own familiar universe... to _his_ home. Others would be vastly different - practice peace or pursue violence; a choice that the populations in each universe were all inevitably forced to make. _

_If you had to CHOOSE a door, which would be your one true home and which would be so similar to your own that you would be unable to tell the difference?_

* * *

Data continued to evaluate the endless possibilities as he pondered Picard's words.

"Someone is linking universes together," concluded Janeway, noticing Data's sudden silence. "Someone is linking a _lot_ of universes together for purposes unknown."

"This _has_ to be the reason why your colleagues on the _Relativity_ aren't detecting any temporal incursions," O'Brien speculated excitedly. "The interference is obviously coming from somewhere outside of our own universe... from _here_."

"We've discovered _one_ potential source of interference," pointed out Janeway. "Don't forget those subspace ruptures used by the creature that attacked you, Chief. Those are probably coming from outside the normal flow of time as well."

"So anything happening here... the construction of all this, everything... it could all have been taking place for years - centuries perhaps - _and we would never even know?_" Julian Bashir looked more frightened than O'Brien had ever seen him as the implications of what they were witnessing weighed on the Doctor's consciousness.

"Yes," acknowledged Data. "That is correct Doctor. Until these aliens began entering and interfering with events in our universe, we had no way of knowing that they existed."

He tipped the runabout forward so that they could all see the valley below them. It was blatantly obvious that virtually all of the wooded forestland present on their side of the portal had been completely removed on this side. Only the river remained, winding and bending through a rocky, relatively flat surface covered in all directions with heavy equipment and swarming hordes of working Zygots.

"They've got everything they need down there," pointed out O'Brien as he continued scanning the work site below. "I'm picking up energy signatures from massive power generators, replicator equipment, and there are enough workers available to cover this entire planet with those hexagonal shaped portals. I wonder how many more mountain ranges on this planet they have done this to."

As if that prospect wasn't alarming enough, Picard's words continued to tickle and poke at the edges of Data's positronic thoughts. "I wonder how many planets these aliens have in their domain... planets all available to build gateways on," he commented idly. "This universe is obviously a major intersection allowing access to countless other realities."

"Yeah, well I for one would like to know what they want with ours," decided O'Brien.

"I was recently in a mirror universe very similar to this one," pointed out Bashir. "Major Kira and I encountered some runabout trouble while passing through the Bajoran wormhole. We ended up in an alternate, extremely hostile reality and barely escaped with our lives. Our experience was an accident... who in the hell would intentionally want to take the risk of traveling between dimensions? And for what purpose? What would they be hoping to accomplish?"

"That is our new mission," decided Data. "To evaluate and determine their intent. Are these aliens hostile or are they merely explorers like us?"

The android paused for a moment to check the runabout's Comm-system and - as predicted - all communication with the _Relativity_ in the 29th century had been terminated. Wherever they were, it was in an alternate reality that was completely separated from their own. Even so, Data was pleasantly surprised to discover that his neural link continued to keep him firmly connected to the subspace network. The Sentinel had mentioned on several occasions that the Preservers' efforts to spread life and maintain solar systems spanned entire universes, but until now he had never needed to test the veracity of that claim. Checking his interface with the subspace realm curiously, Data silently evaluated the options available to him and noted with satisfaction that if he needed to use the network's communications resources to contact Commander Ducane, that option was open and available to him.

"How the devil are we going to get back?" asked O'Brien suddenly, gripping Data's forearm firmly as he realized just how far the runabout had moved away from their arrival point. "How do we know _which_ gateway we came through?"

Data turned toward the Chief and gave him a reassuring smile. "Relax Chief O'Brien," he said reassuringly. Adjusting the viewscreen pickup, he replayed the sensor recording of their initial arrival. The image of the hexagonal, metal framed gateway reappeared along with a series of green and blue numbers in the lower right corner. "Each portal has a unique, very specific energy signature," the android informed them. He touched a key on the control console and the magnification switched instantly to a close up view of the metallic rim... so close it looked as though they could reach through the screen and touch it. In the lowest segment of the hexagonal frame, there appeared to be some sort of scratches engraved into the surface of the odd, silver-colored metal. Upon closer examination, it was obvious that the odd scrawl was some sort of marking... an alien language.

"Is that some sort of identification?" wondered the Chief.

"Yes. It is a Zygopterran number," Data told him.

O'Brien shifted an interested gaze toward the android. "And just _how_ do you know that?" he wondered.

Data shrugged his shoulders. "During our trip through the quantum slipstream, I took a few seconds to learn the entire Zygopterran language," he replied coolly. Opening his mouth slightly to prove his point, he uttered an odd series of clicking and chirping noises. "That sound you hear is the number on the doorway leading back to our own world," he explained to them.

Bashir had moved further into the cockpit, pressing up against the back of O'Brien's seat so that he could see down toward the surface. "Look at them all," he said. "There must be hundreds of thousands of workers down there... all building more of these portals."

The Chief nodded and continued studying the life signs that he had detected. "It's not just Zygopterrans," he told them. "There is a huge variety of alien species down there, all working..." his voice trailed off unexpectedly as he looked closer at the list of races displayed on his screen.

There was a long pause as O'Brien worked to confirm his latest scan. "What is it Chief?" asked Data inquisitively.

"I'm not certain I believe it myself, but scanners indicate there are at least six dozen _humans_ down there," he declared with obvious surprise.

The android's fingers once again tapped a series of commands into his own console, bringing up a display identical to O'Brien's. "Where?" he asked curiously. Continuing to work for another few minutes, the two of them pinpointed the location of the specific humanoid life signs. "I am setting a new course to rendezvous with them," said Data. "They are not very far from here."

The Doctor was also reading information off of O'Brien's sensor screens, and - a troubled expression suddenly clouding his features - he opened his tricorder and began a medical scan of the immediate area outside of the runabout. "No wonder they require a constant supply of Delacon-G for this project," said Bashir, inhaling sharply. "I'm detecting massive amounts of Berthold and Delta radiation outside, not to mention minor traces of other things that are also severe bio-hazards. Whatever these people are doing here, it is most definitely not environmentally friendly and not good for the long term health of biological tissue."

Minutes later the _Yellowjacket_ touched down in a central area of the valley less than a kilometer from the river that wound more or less from the north to the south. As the exit hatch snapped smoothly open a blast of sunlight lit up the interior of the runabout. Bashir held up a cautious hand in warning as they prepared to disembark, taking the vial of medication that Klikek had given him and attaching it to a hypospray. He inoculated Chief O'Brien first and then himself. "This isn't a permanent remedy to the radiation out there, but it will keep us safe enough for a short visit. However, limited exposure is most assuredly in our best interests," he informed them.

In every direction surrounding them, huge dark black factories and a variety of other mechanical equipment stretched upward, reaching high into the sky. Dozens of workers - many of them Zygots in flight - surrounded the largest machines as they steadily worked to create and deploy more of the portals. O'Brien watched all of the bustling activity with fascination, including the domed shapes of massive power plants and the lengthy assembly lines where hexagonally shaped metallic frames were speedily put together and prepared for use. Work shuttles very similar to the one flown by Klikek continued to pass over them, moving steadily back and forth as the assembly of the portals on the two opposing mountainous rock faces continued uninterrupted.

"We are very busy assembling his _'Temple-to-all-places'_," O'Brien said softly, causing the other three to look at him curiously. "That _is_ what Klikek told us right before his departure," the Chief reminded them. "That's what he said his people were doing for the Overseer."

To the north of them was a large encampment containing rows and rows of habitable wooden huts that had obviously been erected to house a massive work force. A vast majority of the workers in the camp were Zygopterran insectoids, but there were also plenty of alien humanoids... especially species native to the Gamma Quadrant. The four members of Starfleet became even more curious as they wandered closer to the camp, and O'Brien's tricorder began beeping repeatedly as soon as they moved toward one of the small homes. Even without further analysis, it was immediately obvious that humans lived there. The first two people that they found were so shabbily dressed and their faces so fatigued from hard labor that it was hard to feel any sort of cheer at the discovery.

_The pair of humans looked as though they had been through hell and back again._

"Look," one of them said, pointing excitedly toward Data, Janeway and the two humans following them. "They're _human_, just like us!" The man was tall, thin and dark-haired - by visual observation alone it was perfectly clear that he was someone who had obviously been mistreated and severely underfed. His face brightened noticeably, however, as he recognized other members of his race suddenly arriving so unexpectedly at their home.

"Don't just stand there Mark," growled the young blonde woman standing next to him irritably. She slapped him firmly on the shoulder. "Go and get the Captain!"

Data stepped forward and held out a hand as Mark, the first man who had spoken, ran off toward one of the other, nearby huts. "My name is Data and I serve as a Captain in Starfleet," he told the female, waving a casual hand in the direction of Janeway, O'Brien and Bashir. "And these people are my colleagues. Who are you?"

The woman regarded him thoughtfully with tired eyes and a forlorn expression that clearly showed how overworked her current condition was. "You don't _look_ like a human," she told him. "But these other three certainly do. You say you're from Starfleet?"

"Yes, we are," Data informed her as she tentatively accepted his hand and then firmly shook it.

"Well, _so_ are _we_," replied the woman. "I am Lt. Sheila Wakefield, formerly a science officer on board a Starfleet exploration vessel."

"How did you get here?" asked O'Brien, his eyes widening with disbelief at her statement. Behind her the man named Mark who had left earlier returned with a slim, dark-haired woman walking confidently next to him. The two of them studied the four newcomers curiously.

"Captain... these people claim that they are also from Starfleet," said Lt. Wakefield informatively, turning her head so that she could speak directly to the other female.

Data's mind quickly accessed his memory core, which promptly supplied the necessary information needed to put the rest of the puzzle together. He studied the fatigued but recognizable face of the attractive, female Captain carefully. "I know who you are," the android declared confidently. "Your picture and personnel history is in Starfleet's memory banks. You are Captain Erika Hernandez, commander of Starfleet's second NX-Class starship _U.S.S. Columbia_... a vessel originally launched into service in Earth's 22nd century."

The charismatic female smiled boldly back at Data. "Guilty as charged," she responded crisply.


	7. What Are Little Girls Made Of?

**Star Trek: Reign Of Terror**

**Chapter VII: What Are Little Girls Made Of?**

* * *

Deep Space Nine, Commander's Quarters, 0700 hours

* * *

_Station Log, Stardate 48249.3: The_ Ha'Husia _has successfully returned to Deep Space Nine. Major Kira and Jadzia Dax immediately returned to Ops and implemented my new, standing order to quarantine all vessels currently docked here. At first I considered limiting the lockdown to ships carrying cargo, but we still have a lot to learn about the methods used by our unusual enemy. Therefore I concluded that a complete, comprehensive hold on every ship in port would be the quickest way to draw him back out into the open. We need more information about this mysterious alien in order to mount a proper defense._

_Both Odo and Lt. Commander Eddington are working to supplement station security in key areas, especially around Ops and the senior staff working there. Until the lockdown is lifted, many of us who regularly work in those positions will no doubt be targeted by our unknown enemy and its allies. We are in the process of taking all necessary precautions needed to insure that enemy activity aboard DS9 can be identified and confronted as soon as we detect it. On this particular occasion, there are also a lot of intangible options at my disposal that normally would not be available to other..._

* * *

Sisko trailed off suddenly, realizing that he was on the verge of saying too much. He frowned deeply, and then said forcefully, "Computer, _delete_ the last sentence please." Frustrated, he turned off the log recorder and decided to complete the log entry later. They had only been back for a few hours, and yet already he was dealing with the consequences of his decision to hold all ship arrivals and departures. Complaints had poured in by the dozens, especially from civilian merchants who were bound by tight deadlines. The Captains in charge of exploration vessels weren't all that happy either, and overall the mood among the civilians living on the station had darkened considerably.

So far the hold order had been easily implemented and remarkably effective. Ships arriving were given the simple choice to stay or leave, and - at least on a temporary basis - if they chose to dock with the Bajoran space station then those vessels were also held indefinitely. He hadn't expected his announcement to be a popular decision, and yet Sisko had been pleasantly surprised when the usual protests from Quark on this occasion turned out to be minimal. The Ferengi knew that something nasty was in progress... something that was getting people killed. Choosing survival over money had always been Quark's preferred pattern of behavior, but only after taking a few minutes to thoroughly think the decision through. The Ferengi businessman's many colleagues had not been nearly as pleasant.

Sisko took a drink of the hot raktajino in his mug and then placed it carefully on the coffee table next to his newest project. He was seated on the couch in his quarters, using a set of small tools designed for intricate, precision work and working steadfastly on modifications to a hand phaser. The door to the sleeping quarters remained closed, but the Commander could hear his son Jake rattling around back there. The boy was probably already done showering and brushing his teeth or dressing for his daily school sessions with Keiko O'Brien. Smiling and feeling comforted simply because his son was in the next room, Sisko's thoughts warmed considerably. Taking a deep breath, he picked up a small drill and continued working on the weapon's delicate, internal circuitry.

Behind him the bedroom door opened and Jake emerged, still working hard to towel dry his damp hair. "Mornin' Dad," he said casually.

"Good morning Jake," replied Sisko without glancing up. Curiously, Jake moved closer to the couch and peered over his Dad's shoulder at the hand phaser's open casing and its exposed, inner electronics.

"What are you doing?" Jake asked inquisitively. "Trying to improve firepower?"

"No," chuckled Sisko. He carefully considered just how much information he could realistically share with his son. "I guess you could call it a new hobby of sorts. I want to see if I can modify this phaser to fire a reasonably powerful invisible discharge, greatly reducing or even eliminating its sound."

The younger Sisko quickly replicated himself several slices of peanut butter toast and a glass of orange juice. He munched on the toast while continuing to watch his father's work. "Is that something that station security asked for, or just something you came up with on your own?"

"It's too long and boring a story to tell you the entire thing," the Commander decided. "However, it may eventually be something that security _needs_. There are a lot more people than we're used to who are currently assigned to various projects aboard this station, and I'd like to have the capability available to knock troublemakers unconscious without drawing a lot of attention. So far, I've noticed that flagrant displays of weaponry on the Promenade have a tendency to panic many of the civilians."

"Hmm..." Jake continued eating his toast and took a drink of orange juice. "You'd think that Starfleet would already have thought of the invisibility part. I've always wondered why you guys insist on giving away your position while firing weapons. If I was a Starfleet Admiral, an invisible phaser beam would be at the top of my list of things that needed to be changed."

Sisko laughed with obvious amusement. "If you were a Starfleet Admiral, things everywhere would probably run much more smoothly," he told his son with a warm smile, shifting his gaze back to the weapon. "Invisibility isn't the primary problem in this case, and it's the easiest obstacle to overcome. Some of the lower settings are already close... and there's always the pulsing option." He sighed, setting down the tiny drill for a moment. "It's actually the part about diminishing or eliminating the sound from the emitter that has me constantly scratching my head. Creating a sufficient energy discharge with the strength needed to knock out tougher targets has historically tended to make a great deal of noise."

Jake finished his breakfast and placed his plate and glass back into the replicator. "Where did this idea come from?" he wondered. "What suddenly made this so important?"

The Commander cast an imperious gaze at his son. "Have a good day at school, Jake-O."

"Now there's an evasive answer if ever I heard one," grinned Jake. "You have a good day too Dad." He opened the exit door and almost walked directly into Lt. Commander Michael Eddington. Apparently, Eddington had just arrived and was about to sound the door chime.

"Hello Mr. Sisko," Eddington said politely to Jake. The Commander's son smiled cheerfully in reply as he ducked playfully out into the corridor and promptly disappeared.

"Come in, Mr. Eddington," said Sisko as he continued to use the tools from his kit to poke and probe around the innards of the hand phaser. "I already read the report that you submitted, but I'd still like to hear your thoughts on what happened during my recent absence."

The dark-haired, slightly balding Starfleet security officer entered the room and surveyed Sisko's small project for a moment but did not comment. He declined an offer to sit and instead clasped his hands casually in front of him, simply standing and watching quietly before replying to the Commander's request. "Nothing of any consequence took place," Eddington informed Sisko. "There were more of the gravimetric fluctuations... all of them minor. Several of them barely registered on our internal sensors."

"Hmmm," mused the Commander thoughtfully. "Apparently our mysterious foe has significantly more control over subspace then it first let on. It only creates a major disturbance if it needs to."

Eddington nodded affirmatively in response. "During one of them, another ship Captain was threatened by the dark robed, unknown entity that has been visiting us. No one was harmed this time, and by the time my security team arrived everything was already back to normal."

"Thank you for assuming temporary command of the station during my absence." Sisko smiled appreciatively in Eddington's direction. "The _Ha'Husia_ is an old ship with inadequate sensor systems, and it was extremely helpful having their assistance in effectively tracking everything."

"You're most welcome Commander. You should also know that Odo and I are coordinating our combined efforts much more consistently now. He has finally begun to realize that I am here to represent Starfleet's interests and not to step on his toes." Eddington continued watching Sisko fiddle with the phaser's internal circuitry. "Did you find out anything useful during your visit to Denali Prime?"

Like a ton of bricks, Sisko felt the weight of command suddenly land squarely on his shoulders. Sometimes he was able to push that burden aside for a short while, but sooner or later a simple phrase or some random, seemingly insignificant action would bring it crashing back down on him. Thoughts of Captain Data, the future, and his continual need to be discreet while dishing out information on a 'need to know' basis roiled in his mind... all of them generating conflicting emotions. "An alien insectoid of some sort tried to steal the perishable medication that we had on board," he replied tersely. "Data, Chief O'Brien, and Doctor Bashir offered to remain behind and follow up on that lead, so I allowed them to."

"That is very interesting," Eddington decided. "Whatever this subspace entity is, it obviously needs allies out here in our world to work with."

"Yes it does," agreed Sisko.

"I'll let you continue your work," the Lt. Commander said sharply, snapping to attention. "You can reach me in Ops if you need to talk further."

"I'll certainly do that," the Commander replied firmly.

Eddington nodded respectfully and exited from the room, leaving Sisko to continue steadily with his work on the hand phaser. He was still tinkering with various components approximately twenty minutes later when his communicator suddenly vibrated for attention against his chest. Sisko paused for a minute, since his Comm-badge had never done that before. Finally, remembering that it was a 29th century imitation, he tapped it lightly with the fingers of his right hand.

"_This is Ducane... are you alone?_"

"For the moment," Sisko replied informatively, rising to his feet and promptly locking the door. "It's good to see that your modified communicator works as promised. What can I do for you?"

"_You don't have much time Benjamin_," the _Relativity_ Commander told him honestly. "_There is another significant change in history about to occur. Our most recently updated telemetry indicates that over sixty percent of those changes occur after Quark is murdered_."

"Quark, huh?" Sisko paused thoughtfully, dark twists of irony tempting his thoughts.

"_No jokes Commander_," Ducane requested sharply. "_This is very serious business. Updated station records indicate that his body will be found in his quarters shortly after a murder that will take place in less than an hour. Odo's subsequent interviews with witnesses who last saw that Ferengi of yours indicate that he postponed opening his bar to return to his quarters with an unidentified female. So get out to the habitat ring and save his life... we need to prevent another premature death_."

Ben Sisko glanced down at the partially refitted hand weapon still lying on the coffee table next to the raktajino mug. Most of the cover pieces that normally protected the inner circuitry had been removed and were scattered across the table's glossy surface. The Commander picked up the weapon and slowly shook his head as he chuckled with amusement. "I'm on my way," he promised. "If history doesn't promptly change back to normal after I intervene, let me know why as soon as possible."

"_We'll certainly do that. Hurry Commander_."

Seconds later, the Sisko family living area was empty and quiet.

* * *

Using one of the service crawlways - areas that he had become quite familiar with during his first year aboard DS9 - Benjamin Sisko eventually found his way into a ventilation shaft leading directly to Quark's private quarters within the space station's habitat ring. The ventilator chute narrowed at the branch-off point where it descended downward to a grating looking down inside the Ferengi's living area. There was no way for a grown man to fit inside the air duct, but by leaning forward the Commander quickly discovered he could get close enough to the metal grill and covertly observe any activity below. He placed a cautious hand against the metal lattice work crisscrossing the vent, noticing that it was securely attached to the wall.

Removing the air vent's cover would undoubtedly arouse suspicion, and yet Sisko was somewhat disappointed upon discovering that the slats were designed specifically to direct fresh air flow into the room and therefore aligned in a manner that limited his ability to see. Setting his phaser to a low-power setting he carefully burned a fist-sized hole in the metal, noticing that - as hoped for - the beam that emerged from the weapon was now almost totally invisible. Unfortunately, the open areas created by the weapon's missing cover pieces allowed energy blowback from the phaser discharge to emerge from inside the weapon. The hair on Sisko's hand immediately stood on end, and he felt a distinct electrical tingling sensation in his right arm that bordered on the low end of painful. He wondered briefly what the feedback would feel like if the need arose to fire it at a higher setting.

Recognizing that he would likely have cramped muscles if he remained in such an awkward position for any significant length of time, Sisko eased himself slowly back into the larger, main ventilator shaft connected to the adjoining crawlway and patiently waited for the inevitable event to come... the murder that Ducane had warned him about. It had taken the Commander quite some time to first locate and then move into a hiding spot that would meet his requirement for concealment and also allow for a quick retreat. Thus he was not surprised to hear voices outside the door less than fifteen minutes after positioning himself in the most tactically sound location available to him.

"Please enter my humble abode my dear Miarla," Quark said with his usual attempt at charm as the door to the room slid open. "I have the finest food and drink in the sector to tempt you with, and perhaps a few other surprises as well."

Once again, Sisko leaned forward into the smaller connecting ventilation shaft and peered through his newly created spy-hole. He watched Deep Space Nine's Ferengi bartender enter the room followed very closely by a scantily clad alien female. The Commander was unable to recognize her species, but he noticed that she was tall and thin and displaying ample cleavage - exactly the type of female that usually attracted opportunists like Quark and his trading partners.

"What's that smell?" Quark asked suddenly, sniffing the air and glancing around the room.

Miarla shrugged her bare shoulders, pulling the thin fabric of the bright green and gold dress that she wore more snugly around her. "What smell?" she asked. "I haven't noticed anything."

"It smells like something is burning in here," insisted Quark, his eyes moving back and forth as he scanned the room. "And I haven't even started cooking yet. Maybe Rom was here earlier... that no good brother of mine is _always_ burning things."

From his position in the ventilator shaft, Sisko simply shook his head. _Leave it to the Ferengi to have a sense of smell just as sensitive as their hearing_, he thought to himself wryly.

Quark paused for a brief moment longer before returning his attention back to Miarla. "No matter," he decided finally. "I think that we should progress directly to our dinner, and then on to even more pleasurable distractions. Just name the activity of your choice my dear... tonight I'm going to make _all_ of your dreams come true."

Lying fully concealed in the airshaft, the Commander shook his head with dismay as he listened to the odd, unrestrained courtship ritual of the greedy Ferengi bartender. Reaching down toward a tricorder tucked snugly between his legs, he activated the device... just for a few brief seconds. Glancing out through the hole in the air vent it was blatantly obvious that Quark was now otherwise occupied. He was replicating food and drink at a record pace, making so many clanking and clattering noises that Sisko doubted he would have heard the tricorder even if it were used for an extended period of time.

"All I want Quark," decided Miarla coyly, "is for the lockdown on our ships to be lifted. Honest commerce must be allowed to take place or innocent business people like me will suffer the consequences." She took several steps forward until she was standing directly next to the Ferengi and slowly, gently stroked the edge of his left ear. "Everyone on the Promenade says that _you_ have the most influence with Commander Sisko. I'm hoping that you will throw your full support behind our efforts to restore free trade to _all_ vessels in this sector."

Quark poured two glasses of an amber fluid, handing one of them to his girlfriend. "Of course I can speak with the Commander," he admitted with obvious fluster at the beautiful woman's unrestrained praise. "However, I've already done so and know him well enough to recognize that he doesn't do these things without a reason. There has been some serious trouble on board Deep Space Nine lately, and I wouldn't want him to put anyone else in danger." He clinked glasses with her and took a sip, watching her stand quietly while holding her own drink. "People are _dead_, you know." Miarla's mood darkened noticeably at his words.

Pulling back from the air vent just far enough to glance down at the tricorder, Sisko's eyes widened in surprise. The small display clearly showed only _one_ identifiable life sign inside of the room... the Ferengi. Curious, the Commander pressed his face back against the grating in order to get a better look at Quark's date. She didn't appear to be much different from the usual, odd assortment of alien visitors that regularly frequented Deep Space Nine. Aside from bright, flaming red hair, several odd tattoos on her forehead and dark, captivating eyes there wasn't a whole lot that Sisko found unusual.

"I don't want you to _speak_ with him," Miarla protested irritably. "I want you to _convince_ Sisko to change his mind and allow the normal flow of cargo to resume."

As the conversation between the pair grew more heated, Sisko risked another quick scan with the tricorder. He used it this time to search for odd or unusual energy patterns, and it didn't take long for him to discover a few. Immediately he recognized the familiar, odd gravimetric disturbances recorded by the station's internal sensors during previous visits from the alien known only as the Overseer. The readings were much more subdued and emanating at a substantially lower level than during past occurrences, but the familiar pattern was distinct and immediately recognizable. Using his left hand to remove the tricorder from between his legs, Sisko lifted it up to eye level and studied the screen's display curiously.

A simulated diagram on the screen clearly outlined both Quark and his companion, and yet the woman still gave off no identifiable life signs of any kind. Sisko leaned as close as he could to the air vent and carefully studied the female from top to bottom. He raised an eyebrow in surprise, noticing a small, glittering emerald green energy tether connected directly to her left ankle. The small rope of gravitons wound its way backward, away from her lovely legs, snaking its way several centimeters backwards toward a tiny, almost completely hidden subspace pocket hovering nearby. The Commander decided that this was a very interesting method of quite literally 'hiding something in plain sight'. The only reason that he had seen the tendril was that he was expecting trouble, had use of a tricorder, and knew specifically what to look for.

The sight of the unusual astral cord immediately reminded the Commander about Chief O'Brien's recent encounter with the intimidating, dark-robed Overseer while aboard the _Ha'Husia_. Realizing that the appearance of the alluring woman was in all probability a complete masquerade, Sisko decided not to wait any longer. The time Ducane had given him for Quark's unexpected death was fast approaching, even as the Ferengi's companion continued to grow angrier. She was screaming at him now... screaming obsessively about the need to move cargo through the demilitarized zone and the rights to free trade that Sisko's directive closing down Deep Space Nine so obviously violated.

Pointing the phaser downward toward her feet, Sisko fired a small, narrow beam of energy toward the graviton tether. The energy discharge was almost completely invisible to the naked eye and made almost no discernible noise. Again the hair on the back of his arm tingled noticeably from the feedback while a dark burn appeared on the floor of Quark's quarters, right next to the woman's shoes. Since he could not see the beam, Sisko maintained a constant rate of fire while sweeping his aim up and across the glittering green energy tether. As soon as the phaser beam crossed it, the woman's image flickered noticeably and actually disappeared for a brief second.

"This is getting to be too much for me," Quark decided, his back facing her as he continued to set out dishes of food. He set down his glass and turned back towards her, holding up both hands with obvious frustration. "Miarla, I _refuse_ to put innocent merchants in danger... I _need_ them to line my pockets with latinum!" The romance was obviously gone as the two of them glared at each other almost spitefully. "I think it's time for you to leave."

"I'm not going to _leave_," the woman snarled, raising her arms above her head. "At least not while you're still alive, you spineless little _worm!_" Her eyes suddenly flashed brightly with crimson red and her body transformed swiftly into the dark-robed, familiar form of the Overseer. Quark screamed with obvious surprise at the unexpected confrontation and - turning to run away - he stumbled over a small table. Landing helplessly on his back he continued to frantically back away, crab style, from the intimidating presence of the strange alien.

With one smooth motion, Sisko upped the setting on his phaser and fired directly into the bottom half of the creature's body. As he had observed on the recording from Chief O'Brien's encounter, the creature's body parts regenerated as swiftly as the phaser discharge disintegrated them. Several times the invisible energy beam poked completely through the Overseer's robes and burned deep trenches into the deck plating. With the alien creature standing imperiously over him and smoke and flames suddenly rising from the floor, Quark didn't know what to think. He continued shrieking in terror, doing his best to crawl backwards toward the far side of the room.

Frustrated, the Commander once again redirected his phaser beam, this time aiming it directly at the glittering energy tether. The response was immediate - and the towering dark image of the Overseer flickered and instantly began to fragment. Continuing to focus the phaser shot completely on the creature's graviton supply, Sisko maintained fire until the Overseer finally gave up and retreated. The alien back peddled several steps and then its dark robes once again simply collapsed into the depths of the rippling, anomalous subspace pocket. Seconds later the encounter was over, and only a panicked Ferengi bartender remained in the room.

The Commander waited several minutes longer to insure that the creature had no immediate intentions of returning and then abandoned his vantage point. Finally, the still terrified Quark gathered enough courage to leap to his feet. Spurred on by adrenalin and fear, he immediately placed a call to the station's security office. Nodding with satisfaction and moving silently back through the ventilator duct; Sisko crawled back into the adjoining work crawlway and slowly but surely made his way away from Quark's quarters. By the time he emerged into an isolated corridor next to a utility office, Odo had already contacted him and requested that the Commander meet him as soon as possible in the habitat ring.

"I hope that's the solution you were looking for Commander Ducane," Sisko growled softly. He linked the Comm-badge signal to the output of the tricorder and uploaded the new telemetry that he had gathered directly to Commander Ducane. Then he terminated his transmission to the 29th century and headed back in the general direction of the habitat ring.

* * *

"...it was a _demon_ lord!" Quark was saying to Odo when Sisko walked into his quarters. "It approached me on the Promenade and lured me back here disguised as a very attractive _fe_-male. But that's not what it was... it was actually... it was..." The Ferengi held up a cautious, trembling hand for emphasis.

"...a demon lord. Yes, yes, we heard you the first time," nodded Odo, his expression of disdain for the station's bartender quite obvious. "How do you _know_ that it intended to harm you?"

Standing next to both Odo and Michael Eddington, Quark's eyes widened with fright. "I know because she... it... _refused_ to leave. It tried to get me to press the Commander to lift the ship embargo, and when I wouldn't it _changed_ into a dark-robed alien and then started on fire!" He pointed to the dark, charred scorch marks burned into the deck plating, and Sisko noticed that he could still smell the smoldering remains of the residual smoke that had not yet been filtered out of the room.

The Commander swiftly found himself in the first of what would probably be a series of uncomfortable situations as Odo crossed the room so that he could speak with Sisko privately. Eddington remained with Quark, continuing to ask him additional questions about the unusual incident. Sisko decided to play the situation professionally, pretending that he knew absolutely nothing. "What's the story?" he asked Odo with a casual glance at the Ferengi.

"Apparently, our unseen intruder is getting better and better at manipulating subspace," decided the Constable. "We detected at least two dozen minor gravimetric anomalies on internal sensors, scattered across the station," Odo informed him. "We had enough people in key positions to investigate most of them within minutes, but as with prior incidents we went after the strongest concentrations first."

Sisko nodded with approval. "To protect key systems from damage."

"Yes," Odo continued. "Projecting the image of the woman seems not to have required a very strong concentration of gravitons, so we were unconcerned with this particular anomaly. We had Quark's 'companion' low on our list of priorities until she began moving. Unfortunately the two of them had several minutes alone before we were able to get here, during which time the alien apparently threatened to kill Quark."

"Do you think she was bluffing?" asked the Commander, curious to hear the Constable's reasoning.

"No, I think that Quark's mysterious girlfriend fully intended to kill him," declared Odo sincerely. "Perhaps the alien was simply retaliating against his lack of cooperation, or maybe she simply wanted to re-emphasize that she is capable of killing us - any of us - if we refuse to comply with her demands. Regardless of her motives, our good friend Quark was extremely lucky... much more fortunate than his dear, departed friend Captain Keyoun."

"Why do you say that?" Sisko wondered, although he was already anticipating the response.

Odo handed him a tricorder and the Commander examined the information displayed on its small screen. He pointed to the dark streaks burned into the room's floor. "Those are residual _phaser_ burns," the Constable replied sternly. "The alien didn't start on fire... I double-checked the readings to be certain. Those marks were created by energy discharges from a standard issue, Starfleet hand phaser." He pointed toward an air vent on the opposite wall near the room's ceiling. "Notice the hole burned in that duct cover? Someone was hiding in there Commander... someone who watched the whole thing and fired a weapon at that alien. And as much as I might personally have preferred a different outcome, I must admit that whoever did so probably saved Quark's life."

"_How_ did someone get into the ventilation system?" Sisko asked, moving closer to the air duct so that he could inspect the very hole that he himself had created earlier from the other side.

"There are _too_ many projects currently in progress aboard this station," growled Odo irritably. "Half of the security systems and internal sensors are regularly shut down for several hours at a time. When they finally come back up, their counterparts on the other side of the station get turned off. It makes rapid detection and response to these graviton-based incursions virtually impossible." He shook his head back and forth several times, clearly upset. "Every time I protest, your Starfleet engineers refer me back to you... stating that they have no choice but to tap into our power grid if they're going to hold to their schedule and bring the new weapons systems on-line."

"I know you're frustrated, Constable."

"Frustrated doesn't _begin_ to describe my feelings on this matter," Odo replied sternly. "So far the Dominion hasn't done anything since we returned to the Alpha Quadrant. Right now we don't _need_ weapons on the outside of this station... but we do _need_ our internal sensors on-line and functioning so that my people are in place and able to properly fight the battle for the inside."

"Perhaps Quark's 'guardian angel' will continue to help," Sisko suggested.

"Not if _I_ catch him first," snapped Odo angrily. "You know how I feel about vigilantism."

"Yes I do. I'll be in Ops if you need me."

As the Commander turned to leave, Odo pointed at Sisko's empty waistband. "I would suggest that you requisition and keep a hand weapon of your own available at all times, Commander. This lockdown of yours has obviously elevated the anger of our enemy... its attacks on our personnel are likely to increase. Whether you realize it or not, you have made yourself its primary target."

"I am well aware of that Constable," replied Sisko. "But thanks, nonetheless, for the suggestion."

* * *

Deep Space Nine, Main Operations (Ops), 2105 hours

* * *

Lt. Jadzia Dax carefully studied the results of her newest computer model curiously, anxious to determine if she would learn anything new. She had been at her post in main Operations, steadily working on the data record from Chief O'Brien's tricorder for several hours. Her initial analysis had produced several noteworthy discoveries, but after those first few initial successes the trail had grown steadily colder. The quest for additional information about their mysterious adversary was proving to be both frustrating and unsuccessful... a failure that she was unaccustomed to.

She was still working on yet another test when the doors to Commander Sisko's office snapped neatly open and he emerged confidently. He descended the small flight of stairs in front of him and crossed over to where she was sitting. Major Kira had been standing at another main Operations command console, but after noticing the sudden presence of the Commander she immediately moved to join them. Jadzia continued her steady, thorough analysis of the data drifting across her screen while Sisko and Kira stood patiently, watching from behind.

"Have you learned anything new?" asked the Commander.

Dax shrugged her shoulders, wrinkling her attractive nose and hesitating to gather her thoughts before responding to his inquiry. "I'm not entirely certain," she told him honestly. "I've run over a hundred different analytical subroutines against the telemetry recorded by Chief O'Brien during his encounter with the alien aboard the _Ha'Husia_. So far all I can say with certainty is that the creature uses gravitons to open pockets of subspace. It also apparently has the ability to manipulate them in some unknown manner and completely change the look of its physical appearance. The result of that process gives it a distinctive, shapeshifting ability that visually appears to be very similar to what we have seen Odo do. The exact method it uses to simulate a visual presence, however, remains unknown. Its technique is obviously much different than what our Constable does, given that its presence doesn't register as any sort of identifiable life form."

"How different?"

Again Dax shrugged, this time shaking her head back and forth negatively at the same time. "I honestly don't know how to fully explain this Benjamin," she replied. "According to the tricorder, there were _no_ other life forms in that room other than Chief O'Brien. Odo may choose to look like a tree or a part of the wall, but he does usually register as a life form while wearing his humanoid shape. I've gone over this data quite a few times, and I can tell you for certain that only one thing was out of the ordinary and detectable by that scan - the presence of a great deal of concentrated gravitons." She pointed to the display in front of her. "Here... take a look... I mapped them out for you."

On the screen they could see a rough image of scattered green dots that vaguely resembled a hooded, robed humanoid. The area surrounding its eyes had the greatest concentration of green, and its long sleeved arms and covered legs had the fewest. Dax had frozen the image at a point where the creature was standing still, its arms hanging loosely by its side. Even with the visual image of the creature eliminated and the remainder of it reduced to a scattered sprinkling of computer-colored dots, the unusual nature of the alien remained more than a little bit intimidating. There was a definite pattern still very much in evidence, a pattern that clearly defined the alien's shape and size.

"The gravitons are used to define the basic outline of the shape that this creature chooses to take, but as you can see from this diagram they don't account for everything. Even so, nothing else unusual registered on Chief O'Brien's tricorder." She paused, shaking her head with dismay. "Yet somehow this alien was able to project the intimidating image of a dark-robed, cowled creature - the same image that so many others have reported seeing. Our mysterious visitor is definitely utilizing plain old gravitons to preliminarily define the shape that it chooses to take, but how it goes about filling in the rest of the details... well, I haven't the vaguest idea how it accomplishes that."

Major Kira's dark, piercing eyes studied the display with interest. "Quark reported seeing an alien woman; someone he was tempted by and willing to take back to his quarters," she reminded them. "So whatever this thing is, it's definitely getting better at its ability to simulate humanoid form."

"Practice makes perfect," growled Sisko. "What about the cord-like attachment Chief O'Brien reported seeing? Have you discovered anything more about that?"

This time Lt. Dax nodded with enthusiasm. "Once it pokes through subspace, the tether is undoubtedly the method the alien is utilizing to enter and interact with our environment," she informed them. Touching the keypad next to the visual she rotated the green dotted image of the robed humanoid so that they were looking at it from its left side. Immediately obvious to them was a heavily concentrated, tightly wound stream of dotted gravitons stretching out from between the creature's shoulder blades and reaching back through the subspace pocket it had used to enter the _Ha'Husia_ Captain's quarters. "This astral cord serves as a basic conduit of sorts for the graviton flow. Using this method, the alien can enter the station at any weak point it finds in subspace. It just pokes its way through like a needle through a piece of paper."

"At first the graviton surges were massive, but they have diminished during recent encounters," Sisko noted. "We have an entire airlock under repair as a result of the damage this thing caused, not to mention one of Quark's holosuites. Whatever this thing may be, I believe that it is slowly but surely learning how to rupture subspace wherever it wishes to emerge. And based on the incident earlier today in Quark's quarters, I would venture to say that the alien is getting much more effective in its efforts to interact with us. Just like Odo and his people, this _thing_ can now literally look like anyone."

"I don't have _any_ idea how it generated the image recorded on O'Brien's tricorder," admitted Dax with a frown. "I am also unable to explain how it pulled off its latest trick... successfully managing to manipulate gravitons and simulate an attractive, humanoid female."

"Keep in mind that this alien emerges from subspace," Sisko pointed out. "Wherever it lives, I don't think its origin is anywhere near our own physical universe. I think this life form is currently in the process of experimenting with our physical laws, mainly by using tricks and tests to discover the best ways to intrude in our space. We are unable to scan anything significant because there _isn't_ anything. Our tricorders, after all, only detect what they are programmed to find. And they are programmed to detect energy and locate objects based on the laws that govern the physics outside of subspace."

"I don't like this at all," declared Kira fiercely, crossing her arms in front of her. "Whatever manner of alien life form this creature turns out to be, it obviously already knows a lot more about us than we know about it. The tactical advantages it must possess are enormous."

Sisko placed a finger on the screen, right on top of the glittering, concentrated pattern of green dots that comprised the winding energy cord that connected the alien to its origin point. He touched the controls, slowly replaying the entire recording from O'Brien's tricorder. This time, however, he limited the visual image to the pattern of graviton dots as defined using Dax's new filter. The playback displayed only the gravitons, and it was immediately obvious that the vast majority of them were flowing out of the subspace pocket and toward the hooded, dark-robed alien.

"Very interesting," decided Major Kira while the three of them watched the new, unique view curiously. "As the creature confronts Chief O'Brien, the gravitons are flowing into its body - obviously they are used to somehow sustain whatever image the intruder chooses to project. After Data shows up and begins shooting at it, the gravitons suddenly reverse themselves and begin flowing backward until the humanoid image finally collapses. Within seconds the tendril retracts and the subspace pocket closes too." She turned toward Sisko. "I forgot to ask you... _how_ did Data get in there so fast anyway?"

The Commander's smile did not betray the irony of his situation. "Your internal sensors on the _Ha'Husia_ were not very effective. We were monitoring your situation from the _Yellowjacket_ and immediately pinpointed the disturbance." His strong bond of loyalty to the two ladies tempted him to tell them more, but he paused hesitantly. Partly Sisko held back filling them in on further details because he was fully aware that he also did not know the entire story. Once Data had beamed away, he had no idea what the android Captain from the 29th century had been up to.

"This certainly isn't a lot of new information," sighed Kira apprehensively. "I don't know what we're supposed to tell Odo."

"This alien isn't restricted to the limits of this universe in the manner that you and I are," observed Sisko, "But it obviously does have to abide by at least _some_ of them. We now know for certain that the creature requires a constant flow of gravitons in order to power its presence here in our space."

"It obviously hoards them whenever possible," guessed Dax. "It only intrudes on our space at specific, premeditated points, and once it returns to its origin it takes the gravitons along with it."

The Commander took a deep breath and thoroughly thought the matter through. "Phasers don't appear to have any serious, lasting effect on this alien." Once again he pointed directly at the graviton cord still displayed on Dax's screen. "What about attacking the _source_ of its power?" he asked them. "If we fired phasers on a higher powered setting directly at this graviton conduit or at the subspace rupture..."

Kira nodded. "...that _might_ be enough to disrupt whatever the creature is doing, at least long enough for us to get additional defenses in place."

"It's not much to go on, but at least we can tell security something," agreed Dax.

"Please continue your study of this and all future disturbances," requested Sisko. "If you discover anything else of significance, let me know. I'll be in my office."

* * *

The Commander was still busy, intensely studying the recorded data on the alien visitor more than an hour later. He glanced up sharply and rose from his seat immediately upon noticing that Ops had suddenly been placed on high alert status. By the time he emerged from his office there were already at least six of the smaller, rippling gravimetric distortions surrounding the central work area. All of them had emerged from subspace near the upper ceiling area and were moving slowly but steadily downward toward the central computer stations currently in use by Jadzia Dax and Kira Nerys.

Several Bajoran crewmen and women manning the outer consoles watched the eerie phenomenon with obvious fear etched into the lines of their faces. Already Sisko could see green tendrils of energy poking through each of the anomalies. With both Lt. Dax and Major Kira trapped between them, they continued moving closer and closer to the two ladies. Dark, malevolent shapes with the recognizable hoods and blazing red eyes began to materialize at the far end of each tendril. Their robes swirled furiously, wrapping around their hidden legs as they glided smoothly through the room. It appeared as though they were moving relentlessly through a driving wind, even though there was absolutely no detectable breeze in the artificially controlled atmosphere.

_"LIFT THE EMBARGO... LIFT IT NOW!"_

There was a distinctive, separate voice for each alien but the words were spoken simultaneously. From the Commander's perspective, the voices sounded far too much like a lecture from the Borg collective. Pulling the phaser hooked to his waist free, he fired at the closest tether and missed it. The beam slammed against the hooded creature connected to it, instantly vaporizing the humanoid figure. Removing his finger from the trigger, Sisko quickly tapped the weapon's controls and upped the output by two settings. Within seconds of his attack, the hooded image of the creature completely rematerialized, and the small pocket of subspace trailing it slowed suddenly to a complete stop.

The robed creature swung its head around to face him, its facial features completely obscured by the cowl it wore. Twin red eyes blazed hatefully from within as it began moving away from the other five aliens and directly toward him. Bracing himself against a console, Commander Sisko fired a hot orange phaser beam directly into the center of the creature's chest. The discharge blew a huge hole through its torso and burned a hot, smoking hole into the wall near the ceiling behind it. Maintaining a steady fire, Sisko corrected his aim in time to direct the remainder of the phaser blast directly into the glittering green cord connecting his attacker to subspace. The tether absorbed the entire, withering output from the phaser shot and crackled angrily with distortion. Eerily similar to the earlier encounter in Quark's quarters, both the alien and its subspace entry point promptly collapsed and then vanished.

_"LIFT THE EMBARGO... LIFT IT NOW! LIFT THE EMBARGO... LIFT IT NOW!"_

The five remaining creatures continued to close relentlessly in on Jadzia Dax and Kira Nerys. Both of them were shooting phasers too, and their initial blasts struck the dark-robed forms that continued to approach them menacingly with both arms raised. Glancing toward the four security guards assigned to strategically defensible points around the perimeter of the cavernous room that was Ops, the Commander noticed all of them watching the events incredulously. Each of them was temporarily, understandably overcome with shock. The speed at which the attack had progressed since the initial alarm was remarkable... Sisko estimated that less than sixty seconds had elapsed.

"_Shoot the cords... set your weapons to level nine!_" he shouted fiercely at the guards, triggering the combat training skills drilled into them and snapping them immediately into action.

Shouldering their phaser rifles, all four security officers opened fire on the intruders who continued their surprise invasion of Deep Space Nine's center of Operations. Almost instantly, one of the Starfleet security men connected with a second tether, dissipating the alien in front of it just as swiftly as Sisko had. Major Kira took out another one seconds later, allowing both her and Dax time to retreat beneath its previous position and join the rest of the crew on the perimeter of Ops. The three remaining aliens slowed to a complete stop as their targets moved temporarily out of range, but not before one of them passed through one of the computer consoles. The metal frame melted away, and the top of the console shattered instantly as its internal circuitry exploded in a geyser of rapidly rising smoke and flames.

_"LIFT THE EMBARGO AND YOU WILL LIVE... LIFT THE EMBARGO AND YOU WILL LIVE!"_

There were only three voices now, and those remaining three didn't last long. The security guards, having already observed the aliens' obvious weakness, promptly blasted the remaining three aliens out of existence as easily as their counterparts had been eliminated. Dax was standing ready, bent at the knees with her phaser ready in case additional targets presented themselves. Fortunately the matter appeared to be settled, and she glanced with dismay at Kira. The Major remained standing rigidly on the steps leading up to Sisko's office, her dark eyes scanning the room for more of the strange, robed creatures.

Around them the alert lights continued to blaze bright red and then fade away as the alarm klaxon continued to sound in unison. Sisko noticed with frustration that the destroyed control console wasn't their only casualty - that some of their high powered phaser shots had damaged other systems as well. Flames still licked hungrily at several of the command consoles, and smoke whirled in waves as the ventilation filters struggled to sift it out of the breathable air. The Commander's gaze shifted first to Dax and then onward to Kira as the lift elevator slowly rose into view holding Odo, Michael Eddington, and half a dozen additional security personnel.

"It's over," Kira said, raising a hand to set them at ease. She smiled appreciatively at the obvious concern on her friend Odo's face. "You missed the party Odo. It didn't last long, but it sure was a memorable occasion."

"Are you _certain_ it's over?" Eddington stepped forward, his phaser rifle firmly gripped in both hands.

"For the moment." Sisko attached the phaser weapon to the belt at his waist and sighed heavily. "Although I must admit that I had hoped to avoid facing the consequences of my actions so soon."

"You had no choice Benjamin," protested Dax. "We _had_ to lock the station down... those aliens quite obviously need all of that gravitational equipment on board those merchant vessels or they wouldn't be trying so badly to obtain it."

"That's _not_ what I was referring to," replied Sisko with a wry grin. He gestured toward all of the smoking, damaged computer systems for emphasis. "I took a tactical risk in assigning Chief O'Brien to assist Data. Leaving him behind on Denali Prime has turned out to be a mistake... I never imagined that we would need his services again so quickly!"

Kira laughed at his humorous tone of voice in spite of the seriousness of the situation. "Well you got what you wanted Commander," she reluctantly admitted. "Deep Space Nine has certainly drawn the attention of those aliens. Attacks everywhere else in the sector are virtually non-existent since we put our lockdown in place."

"Aliens?" Eddington's mouth fell open. "Did you say _aliens_... as in more than one?"

Sisko nodded. "At least _six_ this time... and who knows how many others are floating around out there."

* * *

The Commander worked steadily to assist the Ops crew in temporarily rerouting command functions from the damaged systems. After the work was completed and he was certain things had settled down, he left Kira in charge and returned to the habitat ring. Along the way he retrieved a duffel bag from a storage locker, something he had packed away earlier in the day. Upon returning to his quarters he opened it and retrieved the modified phaser that he had been working on. With his command instincts warning him that the weapon would soon be needed again, he sat down on the couch and picked up the small metallic sections of cover plating still laying there.

Satisfied by the weapon's performance during the earlier encounter in Quark's quarters, Sisko abandoned a brief impulse to try modifying its emitter further. He remembered well the brief, numbed lack of feeling in his arm after using the weapon while it was unsafe and resolved not to do it again. It would hardly improve station morale if his officers discovered their Commander's body after an unstable phaser exploded and killed him in the process of carrying out one of Thomas Ducane's assignments. The weapon worked well enough and all it needed now was the complete restoration of its safety features. Using the precision tools from the borrowed kit, he slowly but surely began reattaching the shielded metal plating to the hand weapon.

The room's door snapped open. "Are you _still_ working on that?" Jake asked him with amazement. The boy had lots of friends on the station and routinely bounced back and forth from one location to the next, so Sisko was not exactly certain where he had been.

"I'm almost done, and you should know that I _did_ go to work... at least for awhile today," the Commander grinned, looking his son up and down and sizing him up. "I see you're in the midst of socializing - is your homework done?"

"Yes," insisted Jake firmly. "Mrs. O'Brien has been keeping limiting everyone to light reading lately, since many of the kids are still frightened by the murders."

"This station is currently manned by more Starfleet personnel than ever... more than have ever served here in its short history as a major starbase. You should reassure the school children and Mrs. O'Brien that they are well protected here. The murderer is only targeting those who have supplies it needs."

"I will," Jake promised, gesturing casually toward his bedroom. "I'm just going to get a game and then meet Nog on the Promenade... we've been having a lot of fun with it lately."

"Don't forget about your supper. Be certain and eat something nutritious."

"I already did... _Dad_." Jake shook his head with dismay at the automatic parenting mode that his father went into each time the two of them had a conversation. Then he entered his bedroom briefly - just long enough to retrieve the electronic game that he had mentioned - before heading back out into the corridor in search of his young Ferengi classmate.

Less than two minutes after Jake's departure, Sisko's communicator vibrated using the same, recognizable pattern that Ducane had contacted him with earlier. Completing his work on the phaser, Sisko tapped his Comm-badge lightly. "I'm alone," he said reassuringly to his 29th century colleague.

"_You're doing extremely well Commander_."

"Are you certain?" Sisko asked doubtfully. "A short while ago, we shot the hell out of Main Operations. I can only imagine what might have happened if we didn't have trained officers in there."

"_Timeline changes remain negligible, thanks primarily to you_," replied Ducane, his voice sounding vibrant and confident.

The Commander tried to identify what was different about the sound of his voice... what had changed from their earlier conversation. Like the flip of a switch, the answer to his unspoken question suddenly dawned on him. "What happened to the distortion?" he asked curiously. "You sound close by."

"_I am_." Sisko had been examining the phaser to make certain it was completely sealed, but he paused upon hearing the Commander's announcement. "_Both Jess Ingram and I are wearing uniforms from your timeframe and are currently aboard Deep Space Nine_," Ducane informed him casually. "_We need your help again... it's going to be two murders this time, each occurring at opposite ends of the station_."

The Commander listened with focused interest. "It sounds like yet another test of our ability to respond."

"_Exactly. Our enemy doesn't appear capable of seeing into the future... at least it's not monitoring events in my century. It's interest in our space/time would seem to be limited to this particular period in Starfleet's history_."

Sisko crossed the room and entered his bedroom, carefully locking away the phaser that he had used earlier in Ops. He attached the second, modified weapon to his hip and promptly reentered the main living area. "What do you need me to do?" he asked Ducane.

"_Your Starfleet engineering team currently has internal sensors disabled near upper docking pylon three_," replied the _Relativity_ Commander. "_The crewman assigned to monitor installation of the new weapons array is going to be murdered in less than seventy minutes. We'd like you to handle that crisis while the two of us move into position and prevent the other killing_."

"You're going where the sensors are still active? What if you get caught?"

Ducane chuckled at the comment. "_Believe it or not, things are more dangerous for _you_ right now_," he replied in a cautioning tone. "_Lt. Ingram and I can easily blend in with all of the other new faces on the station and - if needed - disappear at a moment's notice. Your presence draws much more attention, by contrast, and if you're caught where you shouldn't be it will be much harder to explain. I believe that you will find your Constable is starting to grow a bit suspicious of you_."

Sisko nodded. "I am planning on saying something to Odo. However, I've postponed it so far because I'm still trying to find the best way of filling him in... _without_ totally filling him in."

"_How much to tell someone is always the toughest judgment call in this job_," agreed Ducane.

"Be aware that the aliens now have the ability to alter their image... the one I confronted earlier in Quark's quarters looked _exactly_ like a real, humanoid female."

"_Yes... we noticed the accuracy of its projection while analyzing the telemetry you sent us. Thanks for that as well," _said Ducane with the familiar weight of command obvious in his tone. "_All of this has been tough enough, and now we have to worry about doppelgangers too._" He paused briefly and Sisko could hear him discussing matters with Lt. Ingram. "_Okay Commander, we're in position. If you would please move to the secondary docking port near lower pylon two, we can proceed._" He paused. "_Jessica is retrieving the specific details for your next assignment and will provide you with the location and name of the individual who will be targeted. Provide cover for him just like you protected Quark_."

"I am familiar with the area and on my way." Gritting his teeth as he prepared for this newest confrontation, Sisko exited his quarters and strode briskly down the corridor in the direction of docking pylon two.

_On days such as this one, a part of him wished he was still an Ensign._


	8. The Menagerie, Part 1

**_Author's Notes:_ **_If you're one of those people who likes a good action and adventure story, with exciting drama and cool plot twists, then "Star Trek: Absolution" is definitely the story for you. As with many fans, I was sincerely disappointed that "Nemesis" wasn't a better film... and as if that wasn't disappointing enough, they EVEN killed off one of my all-time favorite Trek characters in the process!!!!! As many of you have discovered, I have since found a way (at least in fan fiction) to keep Data-Class androids in service on a permanent basis. If you are one of those people who still likes Trek, who loves to curl up with a good book (even an on-line one), and immerse yourself in a story that you could never see on a movie screen or television, then you should absolutely LOVE the multi-story arc that is evolving with "Eternal Soul", "Dark Archon", and now "Reign of Terror"._

_In this chapter we discover - among other things - just who and what the 'Overseer' is... so prepare yourself. I guarantee that he will be unlike any creature or villain you have EVER seen or read about before... if he isn't already. Fans of the Terry Brooks "Sword of Shannara" series should recognize that the Overseer's preferred, dark-robed, red-eyed intimidating presence is much like that of the Warlock Lord... or some of the other dark-robed things that prowl around in Brooks' Shannara tales. So that is my traditional 'tip of the cap' to him for such an entertaining series of books over the years. I have enjoyed reading them all very much, and I hope everyone who chooses to read "Eternal Soul", "Dark Archon", and now "Reign of Terror" finds themselves at least half as entertained as I have been with Shannara._

_It's interesting... I have had a general picture in my head for quite some time of what the Overseer would actually be... what he might look like. This chapter details the results of all that imagining, and as before I look forward to hearing from many of you... particularly how YOU end up picturing him after reading my narrative. THANKS for reading everyone... you make the Internet experience - and fan fiction - SO much fun!_

* * *

**Star Trek: Reign Of Terror**

**Chapter VIII: The Menagerie, Part 1**

* * *

Gamma Quadrant, An Alternate Universe, Stardate Unknown

* * *

Chief Miles Edward O'Brien stood quietly near the two large barracks that currently served as permanent living quarters for Captain Erika Hernandez and her NX-02 Starfleet crew. Neither of the ramshackle buildings provided luxurious comfort, but each had a roof decent enough to at least keep the rain out. O'Brien had learned that - just like in his home universe - this _Columbia_ had also crossed the galaxy and arrived in the Gamma Quadrant after fighting a prolonged battle with a malevolent alien creature called the Vryke. According to Captain Data, O'Brien and Bashir weren't even supposed to know the alien's name yet. No one in Starfleet with the exception of the surviving _Columbia_ crew members would know anything more about the creature from the Questar gravity well until years later when Jean-Luc Picard and the _Enterprise-E_ were assigned to recover it. Only then would Starfleet discover that Hernandez and crew had sacrificed their entire future, crossing both time and the galaxy in the process, in order to save Earth from the Vryke's wrath.

The Chief's thoughts drifted briefly back to the story that this version of Captain Erika Hernandez had told them, during which time she offered up specific details regarding her last ditch effort to preserve the lives of her crew. Trapped within the massive gravity well of the Vryke's home near a dead star, she and her officers had chosen to enter an unstable wormhole after somehow managing to rid their ship of the wretched, hateful creature. By the time they had finally managed to tear _Columbia_ free of the wormhole, it had immediately become obvious to all that the stars of the Gamma Quadrant now shined more brightly than those in the Alpha Quadrant. Home had suddenly seemed hopelessly, impossibly far away, and _Columbia_ had limped steadily toward a nearby star system that Data referred to simply as Benini and then dropped sharply into the atmosphere of its lone, 'M' class planet...

* * *

_They made it into the star system intact, but the trip into the fifth planet's atmosphere was an even bigger hell than Questar had been._ Columbia _was suffering from several structural damage and the signs of ongoing strain clearly showed. With weapons no longer needed, Captain Hernandez took a moment to order Lt. Andrews and his MACO escorts out of the armory... she was planning to ground a ship that was not designed for a planetary set down, even under ideal conditions. She doubted that anyone wanted to be sitting helplessly on Deck 'F' when that happened._

_Lt. Matthews had the biggest challenge... without the normal bridge viewscreen he was limited to the forward camera feed displayed on a small side console. The friction from the planet's atmosphere was difficult enough to see through, but the limited view ahead also forced him to fly almost completely on automated instrumentation. For the most part it was working, and he was confident that they would be able to set the ship down with at least some lives intact._

_That was before the inertial dampers failed along with auxiliary power._

_Captain Hernandez stepped out into the corridor, noting as she did so that the circular metal framework holding the bulkheads in place had been visibly warped... crumpled so completely by the heavy gravity field they had passed through that she could see the deformed oddities with the naked eye. It was also becoming difficult to breathe with all of the unfiltered smoke drifting about... obviously life support was damaged or off-line again as well._

_"Get ready for a rough ride!" Hernandez shouted, wishing she could do more than warn everyone_.

_This was her crew, and it was not supposed to end like this. _

Not. Like. This.

_Commander Strong stepped up beside her as a fresh wave of turbulence told her that they had angled too sharply into the planet's atmosphere. As they continued to descend, the remaining crew of the starship accumulated even more bumps and bruises._

_"It's not your fault, Erika," said Strong sincerely, noting the disappointed expression on her face. "You did everything you could... and no one could have handled this situation any better. We stopped that creature from compromising Starfleet security and from threatening Earth. We've dumped the magnetic bottle system containing our anti-matter, so our crash on this planet will be just that... a crash. No massive environmental damage."_

_Erika Hernandez walked slowly back into engineering with the Commander at her side and took up a position behind Lt. Matthews. Together they watched the ground coming up at them way too quickly, noting as the crash grew more and more inevitable that the inertial dampers were still red-lined and inoperative. _

_The planet was too big... it was at least half again as large as Earth and had the extra gravity to boot._ Columbia _simply weighed too much within its atmosphere and the creaking and moaning from the starship's collapsing superstructure remained a constant reminder to all of them that - tragically - the worst was yet to come._

_"Do you have any regrets Commander?" Captain Hernandez asked Strong._

_He smiled and thought for a few seconds before he replied. "Not a one. We got to see and explore things most people will never even imagine are out here."_

_"I wish I had called my mother yesterday, when I had the chance," Hernandez decided with a distinct note of regret. "All of this..." she waved a hand at the smoke-filled engineering bay and the makeshift, improvised emergency bridge stations surrounding them. "...it all happened way too suddenly."_

_"We have water and food and a great deal of training," said Strong optimistically. He put his good left arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. "And if we don't survive the crash, perhaps there is an afterlife."_

_"I hope Starfleet is ready for this. I hope humanity is..." said Erika fiercely. "The price of exploration is going to cost us... has cost us. Jonathan lost a lot of people in the Delphic Expanse when he fought the Xindi, and I doubt that our casualties here today will be the last in Starfleet's efforts to push outward from Earth and explore space."_

_Trailing smoke and flames the entire way down_, Columbia _dropped out of the sky on the fifth planet of the unknown star system in the Gamma Quadrant and struck the ground with a huge rumble. Without their inertial damping system, several more of Erika's crew died in the initial impact_.

_Those who survived were tossed again an instant later as the ship rebounded briefly into the air and then struck the ground one final time. Matter in motion tended to remain in motion, and although the forward edge of the saucer didn't dip forward into the sand below and tip the starship forward, its momentum slowed abruptly enough that everyone left standing was slammed forward. The survivors would step out onto the sand and try to find a way to survive beneath the planet's hot desert sun._

It wasn't supposed to end like this... but it did...

* * *

O'Brien had listened to Captain Hernandez's words with awe. He too was a committed, combat tested Starfleet veteran and he too was always prepared to give his life in service to the United Federation of Planets. And yet, here he had met someone who had actually _done_ just that, someone who could have given in to the pressure and complied with the invisible alien intruder's demands and returned it to Earth. By simply cooperating, her life - possibly the lives of her entire crew - might have been spared, and yet then the crew of _Columbia_ would have been forced to sit by helplessly while the enraged Vryke spread its wave of death and destruction to all of Earth and possibly elsewhere. Instead Erika Hernandez had looked her enemy in the proverbial eye, drawn a line in the sand, and silently proclaimed, "_This far... no farther!_" Even at the cost of her own ship and crew, she had made the decision to defy it.

Behind the Chief, Doctor Bashir appeared suddenly and the two of them stood there for several minutes while observing the mesmerizing, non-stop work activity in the huge alien manufacturing encampment. It stretched for kilometers across the entire valley, reaching as far as they could see toward the southern horizon. While they watched, the Zygots and their alien recruits continued to relentlessly assemble and activate even more of the hexagonal gateways.

"Are you okay Chief?" asked the Doctor finally. "You look a little pale."

"Did you hear that story?" O'Brien asked in response, pointing over his shoulder toward the nearest structure. Inside of it, Captain Data was still conversing privately with Hernandez and the other seventy-two surviving members of her crew. "Did you _hear_ what those people have been through? It sounds as though the exact same thing that happened to them has happened to the _Columbia_ crew in our own universe. We've all read the story in the Starfleet history books... we've all wondered what could have possibly happened to them. Now we finally discover what _did_ happen and there's nothing we can do about it - to interfere would alter history and threaten the entire future."

"I know," said Bashir with obvious regret. "The tragedy is literally Shakespearean in its magnitude."

"I haven't known him very long, and yet I think our android Captain will choose to do _something_," the Chief insisted. "After all, there are several distinct differences since this crew's arrival in the Gamma Quadrant. This version of the _Columbia_ crew was discovered and recruited as slaves over thirteen years ago. That means those very same people in our own universe are probably still alive too... marooned on the original planet that they crashed on."

A hypospray hissed against the side of his arm as he spoke the words. O'Brien glanced sharply at the Doctor, noticing the near empty vial of Delacon-G medication. Bashir nodded in acknowledgement as he observed the Chief's obvious interest. "I had no choice but to treat Captain Hernandez and her entire crew," the Doctor offered in terms of an explanation. "Normally this one vial of medication would have lasted dozens of patients for months, but she and her people have been here so long that they needed a considerably larger than normal dosage."

Concern and compassion touched O'Brien's features. "Are they going to be okay?"

The Doctor shook his head with obvious frustration. "I don't know yet. All of them are suffering from irreversible radiation damage," he replied with a distinct and growing concern. "Whether this exposure takes decades off of their life spans or simply a few years..." He shrugged his shoulders. "I can't tell for certain as long as they remain here... our first priority is to get them off of this planet and away from the Berthold radiation before I can completely answer that question."

"You'll have to get that option approved by Captain Data _first_," predicted O'Brien.

The two of them stood silently for a moment, watching all of the ongoing, non-stop industrial activity taking place in the facilities that surrounded them on all sides. To the west and to the east, the mere sight of the tens of thousands of hexagonal gateways attached to the sheer, vertical cliff faces continued to astonish them. They had no way of knowing how long the work had been in progress, or how many additional, similar projects were steadily moving forward on other planets within the alternate universe. The only thing that the two men from Starfleet were certain of was that they were standing at the center of an interstellar intersection that nearly defied comprehension... a massive series of doorways in time and space that led to countless other realities.

Shortly after the two friends returned to the pair of buildings that served as the primary residence for _Columbia_'s crew. Data and Captain Hernandez had moved outdoors, continuing their conversation while flanked by dozens of men and women from her crew. Most of them had beaming smiles on their faces, their enthusiasm at having been found by others from Starfleet plainly obvious.

"This particular encampment within the valley is populated by the highly skilled workers... primarily Zygopterrans," Hernandez was saying. O'Brien and Bashir moved closer, coming to a stop next to Captain Data while they listened to her explanation. "But there are dozens of other spots on this planet where alien prisoners have been conscripted into slave labor... primarily they mine ore or are assigned to reshape the mountains on this planet in newly found alternate universes."

The slim, blonde-haired female that had first spotted them pointed toward a fenced in area of huts to the east of them. "There's a penal colony of sorts over there..." she informed them. "It's sort of a zoo for sentient beings, actually. Over the years the Zygots have captured some species that aren't easily enslaved, and yet they keep them around anyway for the amusement of their workers." Smiling wanly, the woman glanced down at the dusty planet surface beneath her shoes. "I'm Sheila Wakefield, and as I mentioned earlier I used to be _Columbia_'s science officer. The only reason we've been so well treated is that we all have technical skills that are useful to the Zygopterrans."

"_Well treated?_" Bashir practically snarled as he spoke the words. "You're _all_ suffering from malnutrition and severe radiation damage, not to mention the slave labor conditions..."

"Things are about to improve drastically for all of these people," interrupted Data calmly and reassuringly. He met Bashir's angry stare with a stern gaze of his own. "I promise you that, Doctor."

"Trust me, we're the lucky ones," chuckled Hernandez, rubbing her tired and worn hands together. "There's also a stadium farther to the north. Even the Zygots are worked pretty hard, so occasionally the Overseer permits them to pit some of the more uncooperative prisoners against each other in death match combat. In other words, they kill those prisoners for _entertainment_." She practically spat the last word. "The slave labor provided by the Zygots and the prisoners they capture is a mandated requirement in return for the Overseer's protection from the Dominion."

"Some of the prisoners are also used as guinea pigs," pointed out Wakefield. "New portals to alternate realities are opened on a daily basis, and not all of them contain an environment that is favorable to our type of biological life. Many of the aliens who refuse to cooperate, particularly the hated Jem'Hadar, are forced through the newer gateways with electronics attached to them. If they survive and are able to return, the telemetry from their equipment is analyzed and used to fine-tune a permanent portal."

"It's very much a hit or miss process," Hernandez continued. "Some of the other realities discovered are not in good shape and the initial access portals opened to 'peek inside' are immediately closed down. Time moves faster or slower in some of them, the physical laws aren't as well defined and reliable, or they are simply composed of elements incompatible with our own universe such as anti-matter. During those trips the prisoners - if they return at all - usually suffer severe mental and physical injuries. The Zygots don't care... if we weren't cooperating, they would probably use us as test subjects too."

"Who or what specifically is this Overseer?" asked Data inquisitively. "We met one of the Zygots prior to our arrival here, and he used that same term to reference an alien who has been interfering with events on our side of the portal."

Hernandez ran a hand through her dark, unwashed hair and turned toward her Science Officer. Wakefield nodded in reply and focused her attention on the newcomers. "We're not entirely certain," she replied. "It usually emerges from subspace, possesses the ability to assume any form it wishes to, and - at least in this universe - has assisted the Zygopterrans in completely suppressing a Gamma Quadrant power known only to us as the Dominion."

"I'm Henry Maxwell, formerly _Columbia_'s linguistics specialist," said a slightly balding man with a trim, medium build. "Over the years I've managed to learn some of the Zygotian language, but it's an extremely difficult translation process to be sure. The Zygots hate the Dominion wherever it exists, which is why they work so hard to please this overseer. The Overseer uses its power over gravity to weaken the boundaries of subspace as it explores new realities, allowing the operation here to permanently open portals that connect this planet with the same world in other universes."

"Why have large sections of the mountains on our side been carved away?" Data's curious nature continued to influence his choice of questions. "If only a single portal is needed..."

Sheila Wakefield pondered his question for a few seconds before answering. "If the Zygots took the time to reconfigure the mountains that border your valley to match those here, then your universe has also been selected to also become a major intersection," she stated definitively. "Soon an armada of Zygopterran vessels will pour through the gateway to your realm, and once they do they will attack and completely destroy the Dominion influence there. Once that is done, the survivors will be rounded up and forced to work in your valley... at a manufacturing facility very similar to this one."

O'Brien snorted with laughter. "It sounds like all we have to do is wait a few months," he decided. "Sooner or later, this Overseer and the Zygots will solve _our_ Dominion problem."

"Don't bet on that," Wakefield cautioned him. "The Zygots need as much cheap labor as they can get, and their ships are small but highly advanced. Our ship had barely crashed before they found us. After that, we were brought here and our abilities analyzed. We've been serving at their whim ever since."

"In our universe the Dominion already knows about the Bajoran wormhole," Data added, watching O'Brien's reaction carefully. "Which means the Zygopterrans will soon know about it too."

Captain Hernandez had been studying the information displayed on Data's tricorder. "It looks as though the portal to your universe was recently opened and is still in the process of being defined," she pointed out. "And since our realm appears to be reasonably aligned in parallel with your own, it would explain why so much of our history is virtually identical to yours." Chuckling, she pointed toward the two women and three men standing in front of her. "These are my Lieutenants," she told them with light laughter, but her overall expression remained somber. "My Commander was killed in the crash. But I would like to introduce you to these five. Henry Maxwell and Sheila Wakefield you have already met. The other three - standing here with the mischievous glint in their eyes - are Benjamin Matthews, Erica Boyle, and Joshua Andrews. Andrews is... was... my tactical officer."

"I don't know how you can possibly hope to help us," Andrews said bluntly to Data. "We're all off-shift until early tomorrow morning, otherwise we would be working hard at one of the nearby manufacturing plants. The Overseer is very powerful... I'm surprised he hasn't confronted you already."

"He probably doesn't even know we are here," Data said with that small, android smirk that he had perfected over the years. "I have technology surrounding both my ship and my person that disperses excess gravitons, and gravity is a proven necessity required by this Overseer. Without it, he cannot manifest himself outside of subspace."

Hernandez strode briskly to the top of a small hill and pointed toward a lengthy series of huge, dark metallic towers with thin spires stretching far into the evening sky. "Those structures are huge graviton collectors," she informed them. "The Overseer somehow utilizes them in its exploration of and manipulation of subspace... we have often speculated that it might require gravitons in the same manner that we need to eat and digest food."

"This place is an astonishing engineering achievement," commented O'Brien.

Wakefield chuckled. "It's amazing what you can do with slave labor at your disposal, isn't it?"

The Chief shook his head, still captivated by the huge manufacturing facility... it's equipment and work force filled the entire valley floor. "How many portals can this alien possibly hope to build... how big does its domain grow before it can no longer keep track of everything?" Shaking his head, he looked first to the west and then to the east as he once again examined the vast array of active, hexagonal gateways attached to the vertical cliff faces. "You would think that sooner or later it would overextend itself, that there would be at least some limitations as to how much it could conquer."

"We've been here thirteen years, and so far there has been no sign that this project will ever slow down," Hernandez replied crisply. "The Overseer wants his 'Temple-to-all-places' to encompass everything, and we've all been forced to help him work steadily toward his goal." She sighed heavily. "If conditions on your side of the portal are being prepped for another manufacturing facility, I think that the Overseer's conquests will likely to continue for quite a while longer."

"None of you will labor another minute on this planet," declared Data with a tinge of android anger lending a biting edge to his tone. "All of you, all seventy-three survivors, are coming along with us when we leave this place."

Bashir cleared his throat rather loudly, remembering vividly the medium-sized runabout that they had arrived in. "We're going to need a larger ship if you want to transport people," he observed.

"No," Data countered instantly. "We do not."

* * *

_U.S.S. Relativity_, Alpha Quadrant, 29th Century

* * *

Lt. Jessica Ingram was on the starboard, upper walkway of the _Relativity_'s bridge and working steadily with the primary computer systems there to maintain a continual, ongoing scan of the timeline. As new telemetry was received it was instantly compared against the original records archived within the starship's main computer. She and Commander Ducane had been back on board after their 24th century visit for several hours now, and she was eager to make certain no additional corrections were needed.

Ducane had left specific instructions to contact him if additional assignments for Benjamin Sisko were needed. The Timeship's temporary Captain during Data's prolonged absence had swiftly taken great ownership in the Deep Space Nine problem - he was determined to make certain that Sisko had the resources available to help him keep his people safe.

Backing up, she turned slowly toward the hand railing and almost ran into the unexpected, unannounced presence of Captain Data. "_Hello Lieutenant_," the android said mischievously, smirking with artificially generated electronic amusement at her predictable, startled reaction.

"Good _grief_ Captain, I thought we had all agreed that you were going to _stop_ doing that," gasped Ingram, recovering her poise almost immediately after initially flinching. "_Dammit!_" Shaking her head with dismay at the rare, unpredictable behavior from her commanding officer Jessica smiled and chuckled despite her anger. She was very glad to see him, even if only in the familiar, isomorphic projection that he made use of during the times when he was linked to the Preserver subspace network. She touched her Comm-badge lightly with the fingertips of her right hand. "Commander Ducane, please report to the bridge immediately."

"_I'm on my way_," he responded almost instantly.

Ingram studied Captain Data curiously, noticing that - for the first time since he had begun using the isomorphic process - the image was quite obviously a projected simulation. His body was translucent and the normal colors of his uniform were only half their normal brilliance. Occasionally a brief flicker of distortion would disrupt the visual image before it once again stabilized.

"What's wrong with your interface?" Ingram asked him curiously. "The transmission signal is much weaker than normal... your current appearance wouldn't even pass holographic muster."

"_I am signaling you via the Preserver network while floating inside the subspace of an alternate universe_," Data informed her, a distinct note of pride evident in his tone of voice. "_Full telemetry and details of our latest discoveries are being uploaded to your database even as we speak_." He paused briefly, allowing her to digest the news. As usual, Lt. Ingram was completely unflappable and - if she was at all impressed by his announcement - she never let the emotion show. Unable to read her emotions by observation of her expression alone, Data prodded her. "_How are things aboard the_ Relativity?"

"Settling back to normal, actually," she told him coolly. "Our unknown assailant from the past has stopped most of its attacks in the demilitarized zone and on Bajor. Benjamin Sisko put a lockdown in place on board Deep Space Nine that has aggravated it considerably. Commander Ducane and I actually had to transport ourselves back there for several hours and assist with incursion control. At least for now, the entity's primary attention is almost completely focused on Sisko and his space station."

"_Yes_," agreed Data. "_Our enemy obviously knows that DS9 regulates much of the merchant activity within the Bajoran sector and throughout the demilitarized zone_."

The lift doors to the bridge snapped open and Ducane emerged. His eyes lit up once he spotted Ingram visiting with their android Captain. "It's good to see you again sir," Ducane told Data with a sigh of relief. "We obviously have complete confidence in you, but it's still nice when you check in once in a while. Others may disagree, but I have always believed burdens such as command are an experience that need to be _shared_." He shifted his gaze toward Ingram inquisitively.

Ingram noticed his interest. "I filled Captain Data in on our little time trip to Deep Space Nine," the Lieutenant informed him. "He's calling us using long distance this time... _really_ long distance." She smiled wryly and then spilled the beans. "And I mean long distance as in _alternate_ universe."

"Is that so?" Ducane looked more closely at Data's image, studying it carefully. "We monitored the _Yellowjacket_'s passage as you requested, and our sensors indicated that you had passed into another realm of some sort. Is that perhaps where our mysterious enemy originates from?"

"_It is at least one of the places where the Zygopterrans come from_," Data corrected him. "_Our mysterious enemy is known in this version of the Gamma Quadrant as 'the Overseer', and I am certain that he is the entity responsible for the temporal incursions. I have accumulated and uploaded a great deal of new telemetry for both you and the Lieutenant to study_."

The Commander found his curiosity nearly overwhelming. "What else have you discovered over there?" he asked, his mind whirling with a variety of possibilities.

"_There is too much to explain right now_," Data countered, hesitant to get into too much detail. "_A detailed scan of this planet has identified the location of the people missing from our own universe. The runabout's enhanced sensors are accurate enough to distinguish their life signs from those who are indigenous to this realm or to others. They are all here... apparently abducted to serve as additional recruits for the slave labor taking place here. My Deep Space Nine allies and I have also located an alternate contingent of 22nd century human Starfleet crewmembers from the_ U.S.S. Columbia."

Ingram was more familiar with history than Ducane and responded almost instantly. "The crew of the NX-02... the ship that crashed on Benini Five?"

"_Yes_." Data hesitated only briefly before continuing. "_In this realm the crew of _Columbia_ was never rescued and did not end up on Yadera Prime. They were abducted from their crash site and also conscripted into forced labor here on the Zygopterran home world_." His eyes met Ducane's with intensity. "_When you analyze my telemetry and discover exactly what is being constructed here, it will astonish you_."

Ducane glanced at one of the Ensigns who had been working with Ingram. The muscular, dark-haired man nodded confidently, signaling the Commander that the analysis had already begun. "We're already reviewing the information Captain," he responded. "However, if Lt. Ingram has indeed mentioned our brief trip into the past, you should be aware that it's going to be increasingly hazardous for us if we need to use the transporter again. The damage to our bodies from repeated trips through time will continue... I'm thinking of asking for volunteers if we need to assist Sisko again."

"_I have also uploaded new parameters and replicable part schematics for your transporter_," Data told them. "_Once you enhance the system we will no longer have that problem. I suggest that you send a copy back to Starfleet Command. The modifications should be added immediately to the transporter systems on our entire fleet of Timeships and everywhere else we use them throughout the Federation_."

"Where did you manage to locate that kind of information?" asked Ducane curiously.

Data shrugged and held up his hands casually. "_Here... within the subspace network. I have been accessing and reviewing as much information as I can find regarding Berthold radiation sickness and the effects of subspace transference between dimensions on biological tissue. Most of the people - including the crew of_ Columbia - _who have labored on this planet for any significant length of time are extremely ill. The construction of the Overseer's 'Temple-to-all-places', as he calls it, has come at a great cost to those who have worked steadily over the years to build it for him_."

The Commander inhaled sharply. "What about our people... those who were abducted from _our_ side?"

"_They have only been here a short while. Doctor Bashir has assured me that they should all be fine if I can get them out of here before too much time passes_," the android promised. "_However, the crew of_ Columbia _is another matter entirely... even though they originate from this side of the portal, it doesn't seem appropriate to simply leave them here to toil away endlessly until they finally die_."

Ingram had been listening carefully to every word, and her instincts to preserve the timeline kicked in as she heard Data's last statement. "Captain," she cautioned him, "if you bring them back with you, we'll have _two_ NX-02 crews on our hands. Even if you hide the newcomers, they could pop up at any time during their remaining lifetimes and threaten the integrity of _our_ history. What has happened there may be a sad ending for them, but unfortunately that's the way things turned out for them in that reality. You cannot hope to save everyone in every alternate reality... remember, that is the _exact_ circle of illogical behavior that the Sentinel fell into."

"_Read my report_," Data replied insistently. "_The _Yellowjacket _traveled to the alternate universe because it is the source of the temporal incursions interfering with our history. Unless you first fully study the data that I sent to you, it is impossible to understand how significantly events on this side of the portal have also been interfered with. The people here have a perfect right to protect themselves against the influence of outsiders just as we do. Unfortunately, the population in this Gamma Quadrant was caught completely by surprise and the Dominion influence in this region appears to have been shattered. Only a scarce few Jem'Hadar remain alive over here, and the survivors are kept in cages, abused, forced to work in the labor camps, and eventually killed for sport. Additionally, the Overseer is assisting the Zygopterrans in opening gateways to other universes and providing the support they need to crush the Dominion wherever it finds them. The level of interference is staggering - without the direct intervention of our mysterious adversary, the Zygots here would likely be extinct..._"

"...just like they're extinct on _our_ side," finished Ducane, frowning deeply. "What's your next move?"

"_I'm going to continue my review of the subspace database_," Data stated calmly. "_I want to discover just what this Overseer is and where it originates from... there should certainly be something useful stored within the archives of the Preservers. I would be extremely surprised if they haven't already encountered it themselves... the creature's level of influence throughout all of creation is astonishing to behold_."

"Why haven't we been similarly invaded?" Ingram wondered.

"_Because of people like us_," the android stated bluntly. "_We have an organized Starfleet in place capable of monitoring time and space in our galaxy, so we detected the problem earlier than others have. Many universes have lots of things in common, including countless parallels... but there are always at least a few distinct differences if we look closely enough. It is also obvious that the doorway to our realm has only recently been opened. That means we still have some time to act, but it is running out_."

"What do you want us to do in the meantime?" asked Ducane. A flash of inspiration struck him. "If you give us the parameters of your alternate universe, we could phase shift the _Relativity_ away from this realm and into that one. Then you would have all of our resources at your disposal."

"_That is not yet necessary_," Data replied decisively. "_Continue monitoring our timeline and provide all necessary support to Commander Sisko aboard Deep Space Nine. I will contact you again soon_."

* * *

_After terminating his transmission link with the _Relativity_, Data continued to linger within the subspace realm of the alternate universe. All of the resources of the Preserver network were still available to him, and it was an intriguing sensation to realize that he had participated in an interactive, two-way message between two dimensions of reality. The Preservers truly were an impressive presence in the grand scheme of creation... like all life forms they too had started out as a violent, corruptible people and then subsequently evolved into a more peaceful society that wanted nothing more than to spread life everywhere and allow it to thrive. The Preservers had simply done it on a much larger scale, and in a manner that completely transcended traditional time and space._

**OVERSEER**.

_Data submitted the one word inquiry and allowed it to instantly dart through subspace at trans-warp speed. Normally his requests for information were processed immediately, but on this particular occasion the response was delayed for the slightest fraction of a second. From Data's perspective, this was completely acceptable since he used the precious milliseconds to review the information already available to him. He briefly considered trying to contact Commander Frank Roberts - his fellow Data-class android - in the Preserver future, or possibly even the William Decker/V'Ger entity that he had interacted with on previous occasions. His android instincts prevented him from doing so for now... over the years he had gotten very accustomed to trusting his 'gut' feelings on these matters._

_The response came suddenly, with millions of possibilities abruptly presenting themselves. One word, after all, translated into thousands upon thousands of different languages could mean just about anything to a great many cultures throughout history. Satisfied that the answer he sought was not a simple one, Data declined to sift through the entire list. He attached a complete electronic packet containing a copy of the information he had uploaded to the_ Relativity _to his request_ _and resubmitted it. Again there was a delayed response, but this time there were far fewer hits since the additional telemetry that he included automatically filtered out everything unrelated to his primary needs. In fact, he noted with delight that his own positronic brain had the capacity to rapidly scan everything returned by the second query and further eliminate unrelated data._

_Taking care to insure that the information flowed at a reasonable speed, Data let the network's query data flow through his neural net. Floating in subspace - a region where the physical laws governing the restrictions on light speed did not apply - he analyzed entire terabytes of information in less than two minutes. At first he selected only an occasional sentence of text, but in the end he stumbled upon a complete report that had been prepared centuries ago by an unknown being. The author had listed himself as anonymous and simply uploaded a summary of his research into a public library database available to anyone. Intrigued as never before, Data read through the entire report and studied its many details about the mysterious creature known only as 'the Overseer'..._

* * *

_*** REPORT COMMENCES ***_

_Its lifespan is ancient in the extreme._

_No sentient, living being has ever been able to conclusively prove or disprove the existence of an Intelligent Designer. That secret is and will always remain timeless... as old as creation itself._

_And yet if there is anyone - or anything - that is still alive and might possibly know for certain just what took place during the birth of everything, it would probably be the Overseer._

_The life form I describe as the Overseer started out as a microscopic life form composed only of a few oddly charged gravitons, dwelling in the empty, inky blackness between several newly created universes. More and more universes promptly sprang to life, all of them expanding spheres of matter and energy that shoved the Overseer even farther away from anything close to places where normal, physical laws existed. Even subspace was an environment that was completely alien to it during those first few minutes. The best description of the isolated, hidden area where the Overseer lives is the place where everything else **ISN'T**._

_As most educated life forms are aware, there is only one commonality that binds everything together, that clearly defines the boundaries and barriers between the edges of each universe and the subspace in between. **GRAVITY**._

_A vast majority of the newly created universes simply exploded in massive, big bangs of creation that threw both matter and energy outward in consistently expanding spheres of influence that gradually began to coalesce into galaxies, stars, and all of the other familiar, interstellar objects that are so easily recognizable to veteran astronomers. Some of them misfired however, with space and time rupturing or - in other cases - the physical laws so necessary to their proper function simply fragmenting into oblivion. Those universes where creation did not quite work are often devoid of the more familiar galaxies, stars, planets, and of life. Those universes are dead, empty places where nothing living from outside would ever dare to go._

_If something did choose to wander inside, it would simply cease to exist._

_Or it would die._

_Fortunately for the Overseer, in one form or another virtually every parallel universe, every alternate reality, every different plane of existence shares one simple thing in common... **THE EXISTENCE OF GRAVITONS**._

_Particularly in the universes where billions of massive, spiral helixes and scattershot galaxies exist, there will never be a shortage of gravity until the final end of all things, until the final end of all time is eventually reached. And in the galactic **SUPERCLUSTERS**, or areas where significant amounts of dark matter exist, the intense waves of gravitons are often so enormous that even the best equipment made by sentient beings could never hope to measure it. And yet, in the presence of so much that is vital to its existence, the Overseer initially existed in a place where gravitons weren't normally found._

_Only when the outer boundaries of subspace in some of those malfunctioning universes ruptured, allowing some of the matter within to emerge, could this fledgling life form accumulate more gravitons and begin developing its tiny body. The Overseer was originally a tiny life form that lived outside of anything that most life forms would call reality, where normal physical laws quite simply did not apply. And thus it soon discovered that it could adapt and evolve much more differently than the traditional life forms in the massive, constantly changing realities surrounding it._

_The Overseer grew slowly for at least one billion years, catching only those scarce few gravitons that managed to leak through punctures in the damaged multi-verses. Normal matter and energy would simply wink out of existence while pouring out into the **VOID** beyond the outer edges of creation... and only the gravitons survived. Most of the time during those first few billion years there would just be one or two of them to grab onto and attach to its body, and on other occasions it would encounter a huge cloud of them. At first the Overseer knew nothing of time or of self awareness, and even after it learned what it was the creature still had no concept of itself as anything more than an orphan living in the vast darkness beneath even subspace._

_And yet it clung tightly to each graviton that came within range of it, hoarding them and learning to manipulate each of them as easily as a child practices grabbing onto and playing with toys. And somewhere during the beginning of its second billion years as a life form and the fourteen billion after that... somewhere during that time the Overseer became **SENTIENT**. And once the strange and magnificent life form became aware of its own existence, the alien finally began to explore the whole of creation surrounding it._

_The electromagnetic radiation and gravitons streaming from subspace drew it like a moth to a candle flame, and it roared toward them eagerly, hungry for more. Eventually it found a way to extend small tendrils, small fingers from its body, and use them to pierce the barriers that bound all universes together. After doing so the Overseer explored eagerly for hundreds of centuries, consuming more and more gravitons at a rapid fire pace as its body continued to grow substantially larger. Eagerly exploring everywhere it could reach, it wound and wended its way through the void not unlike the crawling vine of a potted plant reaches relentlessly toward the sunlight. It craved gravitons, and the more of them that the Overseer found the more of them it wanted._

_Eventually it managed to rupture the inner barriers of subspace, and found its way into an actual universe. Compared to the eternal void that it was used to, the alien found the scattering of galaxies and dark matter to be an extremely crowded neighborhood. The presence of so much gravity in so 'small' an area surprised it, and for awhile the Overseer almost destroyed itself. Trying to absorb everything so quickly overwhelmed it, and it had no choice but to back off and move on. It had entered a normal, thriving universe full of galaxies that contained countless quadrillions upon quadrillions of living beings. And in its wake the Overseer left another dark, damaged empty void of malfunctioning time and physical law as it returned to its home between the multi-verses._

_Dozens of centuries passed as it explored its own existence and grew more familiar with the manipulation of its constantly growing body. The strange, unusual entity that I identify as the Overseer started out as a small, microscopic spot in the blackness of endless space so vast that it can never possibly be measured. And yet, over time its constantly swelling body began to consume huge volumes of that space, until it had no choice but to begin invading subspace. It could not help itself - moving into areas where gravitons were plentiful made it bigger still, and yet it craves them to this day with an addictive compulsion that is unmatched. The Overseer was fully aware of what it had done to that other universe, how it had destroyed its boundaries, contents and the life forms that lived within it._

_The Overseer discovered that it **COULD** kill, but also that it did not necessarily **WANT** to._

_So it continued experimenting with subspace and eventually poked its tendrils into dozens of fully functional universes. It explored with an eagerness and insatiable curiosity that was almost as compulsive as its hunger for gravity. And during the next few hundred centuries, the Overseer gradually learned how to appear in various forms and how to interact with the many different life forms that populated the multitude of galaxies scattered across each universe. It didn't take long to discover that a great many of them were simple copies of each other... that most of them followed similar standards and were governed by similar physical laws._

_The concept of universes existing that were composed entirely of anti-matter caught it completely by surprise, and the first one its endlessly probing tendrils touched exploded in a violent burst of matter/anti-matter annihilation. The encounter cost the entity a huge share of its accumulated gravitons, but that wasn't what bothered it the most. Once again it had intruded where it shouldn't have... and once again the Overseer had killed countless quadrillions when it had not wished to._

_Its resolve hardened and it continued to experiment where it knew it was safe. Gradually as the years began to pass it began learning how to contact and communicate with the life forms that lived within... it could touch all life. Time had no meaning for it at first, until it began to learn more and more about how the life forms living within the universes existed. The alien's sheer size limited its ability to learn as well... the newest parts of its body lagged behind. Only the older tendrils that had twisted and coiled between multi-verses and spearheaded its exploration efforts contained enough knowledge to interact with sentient life. It could increase its size, but it did not have a centralized 'brain' of the sort we are used to... each part of it needed time and practice to learn enough about the environment surrounding it as the other parts of it had. Only then could the longer lived, more educated parts of its body communicate with the newer... communicate while teaching them too how to plot and plan._

_In most of the universes it explored and the massive number of galaxies within each of them, sentient life was chaotic and violently unpredictable. The Overseer chose one of the galaxies and focused a majority of its attention solely on that one reality... then studied it patiently and meticulously over countless centuries as it observed the life forms living within and struggled to learn the specifics of what motivated them. More centuries passed until its reach extended past more than thirty percent of the galaxies contained within, and there it finally encountered the Milky Way galaxy and learned - over time - to interact with the race known as the Zygopterrans. It found itself oddly attracted to this strange, insectoid population capable of laying countless eggs and propagating itself so quickly. The ease with which each society of these creatures organized itself and focused on priorities like food and shelter truly impressed the Overseer. Slowly but persistently it worked steadily to develop an interactive relationship with them._

_Once it taught itself the basics of communication and learned the odd Zygopterran language, the Overseer began entering parallel realities and establishing contact with more of the insectoid cultures. Often times it was able to utilize its ability to move between space and subspace to transfer representatives from one universe to another and thereby speed the opening formalities. Sooner rather than later it discovered a realm where the Dominion prevailed... where the Zygots were completely extinct. The basics of 'enemies' and 'war' had been fully explained to it, but the Overseer only understood them vaguely... as abstract concepts. It loved the Zygopterrans so completely that it even forgave them in the parallel worlds where the insectoids warred with each other. In most they were a peaceful and kind species, but not in all._

_Thus the Overseer eventually chose dozens of **KEY** universes that would serve as major intersections in time and space for its Temple-to-all-places. By weakening subspace at various points along each boundary, it hoped to allow the Zygots and their prisoners the time they needed to build portals that would connect each. Eventually, the Overseer hoped that its constant craving for gravitons could be more carefully controlled... it would be able to continue growing its body and thereby promulgate its own existence by expanding its tendrils into the empty areas of compatible multi-verses where no life existed... where it would not kill. _

_And yet the Overseer was entering from **OUTSIDE**, from an empty void where time itself did not exist. So it taught itself how to function in a linear fashion while interacting with the life forms within those universes. The concept of time travel remained an unknown concept to it. Its primary objective focused solely on the here and now of each reality, and on the manipulation of the beings that lived there and functioned in a forward moving time stream. Once its Temple grows large enough, the Overseer expects that it will thereby attain the ability to maintain a more discreet distance from its sentient neighbors while still allowing it safe access to the gravity it hungers for._

_All in all, the Overseer's evolution over billions of years is not so dissimilar to that of many of the sentient races that it has helped the Zygots conscript as slaves. It too has evolved to the point where it recognizes itself as sentient, then moved past its craving for violence and eventually recognized the destruction of life without cause as unjust. Its very origin, however, remains rooted in the fabric of the very essence of creation... at the point where time and space as most now know it initially began. The largest part of the Overseer's enormous body continues to exist outside of time, space, and even subspace. Therefore its ability to communicate effectively is very limited, and its concept of morality and ethics is even more indistinct._

_The alien has come a long way all on its own initiative over billions of years, and has extended its reach through the void among the boundaries of countless alternate realities. But it is still far from perfect... still behaving in a manner that protects itself and the Zygopterrans first. Its constant craving for gravitons continues unabated... a part of it is still that primal, original microscopic life form longing for the 'food' that it so desperately needs to survive. If something gets in its way, it does not hesitate to intimidate, attack or kill. The Overseer has done its homework - it knows what types of shapes, sounds and behavior to use while preying upon those who would oppose its agenda._

_Within each multi-verse, the creature limits its presence to that thirty percent of the galaxies and sub-clusters that it has so far managed to explore. This does not mean that the entity will not one day grow so large that it has no choice but to continue its exploration, only that for now our own home is safe for the foreseeable future. Should the Overseer someday manage to extend its reach inside of our galaxy, we will have some massive decisions of the highest order to make. We are not a **HIGHER POWER**... not the **INTELLIGENT DESIGNER**. We are only sentient life forms living in a galaxy within a universe within a cosmos that has been infiltrated by a strange, wondrous entity calling itself the Overseer._

_I do not know much more about it... other than the fact that the Overseer is not evil. It is only trying its best to survive and co-exist peacefully with the sentient beings living within its reach. We should be glad that this being has so far stayed away from our galaxy. Perhaps it will someday reach a maximum size and stop growing larger... perhaps it will never move within range of our home. If it does choose to do so then we will have to attempt communication. It does not understand traditional language as we know it, and historically the creature has used violence when and where its own wishes are not complied with._

_We can only hope that we never reach the point where it is invading our home and all of our attempts at teaching it morality have failed. Because if that happens we will be faced with the greatest decision since the beginning of creation..._

_...whether or not to try and kill the Overseer._

_*** REPORT CONCLUDES ***_

* * *

_Captain Data allowed himself to float freely in subspace for a few minutes after reading the alien scientist's report and reviewed the author's subsequent conclusions. Obviously, the being who wrote the piece had been extremely familiar with the Overseer and its evolution over time. How much of his data was conclusive proof and how much was only theory however... well, there was simply nothing else attached to the data file to indicate how accurate it truly was. Regardless, the report contents proved to be extremely useful to the android Captain simply because they defined - even if only conceptually - precisely what kind of entity that Starfleet was up against on this occasion._

_Prior to entering the subspace realm, Data had excused himself from Chief O'Brien and Doctor Bashir's presence after telling them that he was returning to the_ Yellowjacket. _He indicated to his new friends that he wanted some private time to use the runabout's sensors and learn more about the Overseer. He also planned to identify all of the abducted people from their own universe whom they intended to take back with them. His explanation was once again only a half truth, but Data was determined to keep the Preserver network a classified secret at any cost. He had already told his Deep Space Nine allies far too much at any rate, and his routine of simply disappearing and reappearing as he entered and returned from the alien subspace realm tended to spook the uninformed. Even Lt. Ingram had been angry with him for suddenly appearing behind her during his earlier communication with the_ Relativity.

_Idly, Data noted how comfortable and familiar he was becoming during his ongoing interaction with the subspace network - how much he was relying on it for assistance and information. Thoughts of the reaction from superior officers who served on the Temporal Integrity Commission in his own time when they analyzed his logs briefly touched his positronic thoughts, but he pushed them aside as unimportant. He was the Captain of a Timeship, and therefore had earned both the trust and the leeway to make his own decisions during a massive crisis such as this one._

_Peeking through subspace and using the network's sensors to scan the area around the_ Yellowjacket, _Captain Data noted with satisfaction that there was no one inside the vessel. Closing his eyes, he temporarily adjusted his internal neural link to standby mode..._

* * *

...and promptly reappeared inside the runabout's cockpit. Data had discovered during his many trips into subspace that the range of the Preserver transporters was virtually unlimited. If he wanted to bypass the Overseer's portal completely and return to the _Relativity_ in the 29th century, he would be able to make such an action happen almost instantaneously - as easily as he had projected an image of himself through time, space, and a dimensional shift during his earlier conversation with Ducane and Jess Ingram. Eagerly, the android sat down in the runabout's cockpit and completed an enhanced, meticulous scan of the entire planet. During the process he electronically tagged each of the life forms from his own realm and also included the seventy-three life signs emanating from this universe's version of _Columbia_'s crew. He was determined to liberate Captain Hernandez and her crew from their captivity on this planet even though they were not from his own home universe. Cruelty was cruelty after all, wherever it took place.

Emerging from the runabout, Data discovered that O'Brien had arrived and was waiting patiently for him. The Chief had settled down under one of the few trees left in the valley and was resting in the shaded area beneath. In the distance, the evening sun was sinking lower toward the horizon and it was obvious that nighttime would soon arrive. "Where is Dr. Bashir?" Data inquired curiously.

O'Brien glanced up at him and smiled wryly. "I didn't know how much longer you would be," he admitted. "I must confess to wishing I could take a peek at those _enhanced_ sensors of yours, but I know you can't allow that and so I won't even ask." His expression warmed further as he noticed Data's own features remained completely blank and unreadable. "Dr. Bashir is back at the shelter areas, busy inoculating Captain Hernandez and her crew with vitamin supplements and other assorted potions of his that should help them better tolerate the radiation here."

"That will no longer be necessary Chief," declared Data with a positronic burst of determination that he had never - in the entire history of his emotion chip - felt before. "We are getting out of here, _all_ of us."


	9. Turnabout Intruder

**Star Trek: Reign Of Terror**

**Chapter IX: Turnabout Intruder**

* * *

Deep Space Nine, Promenade, Stardate 48250.4

* * *

Jake Sisko squirmed uncomfortably from his position beneath a table located in the common eating area of Deep Space Nine's Promenade. "Move over Nog," he growled irritably at the young Ferengi to his left. "I can't see well enough unless I'm right next to you. Move a little closer to the aisle!"

Quark's nephew shook his head with obvious frustration of his own. "If I move any closer, I will actually be _in_ the aisle," he protested. "I think you can see just fine and you're trying to embarrass me."

"Possibly," Jake said with a smile. "How is our friend doing?" The table concealing the two of them was located next to a separator wall, so the younger Sisko had to peek around its edge in order to more easily see out into the main, open area at the center of the spacious merchant arena.

By remaining mostly stooped over and leaning against the support wall, Jake discovered that his view had improved considerably. He noticed immediately that there was a larger than usual crowd present. Since the station was still under lockdown - with no ship arrivals or departures allowed - the civilians stuck aboard were naturally looking for recreational diversions to pass the time. Therefore it hadn't taken long before most of them began to congregate near the restaurants, gambling facilities, and other merchant shops in the Promenade area. There were a lot of off-duty Starfleet personnel too... almost everyone who had worked the night shift, in fact.

Several meters away from the two boys, the small, dark-haired form of Molly O'Brien trotted briskly away from their position and slowly out into the open. In full view of everyone else, little Molly headed straight for the Klingon restaurant located nearby.

"I can't believe you talked her into this!" declared Nog excitedly. "We've been itching to get back at that lard butted Klingon for weeks. If this works we'll have gotten ourselves some definite bragging rights, and he'll be less eager to hassle us."

Several pairs of uniformed legs passed back and forth in front of their table. "_Shhhh!!!!_" Jake hissed, swatting Nog squarely on the arm to silence his friend. "Not so loud! If we get caught," he pointed out while waving at the crowded tables surrounding them, "then that Klingon slop master will have all the bragging rights he needs to use against _us!_"

Dozens of conversations were in progress throughout the dining area, and yet they could still hear the distinct, pervasive electronic whirling from Quark's Dabo wheel in the background. The pair of youngsters waited with bated breath as Molly continued her short walk across the Promenade. Only once did she pause, and then she did so just long enough to glance back at their hidden position. Jake nodded confidently at Chief O'Brien's daughter and promptly flashed the young girl an enthusiastic 'thumbs up' gesture. Molly smiled confidently at his reaction and whirled back to face the restaurant, her dark pony tail flying around her shoulders as she did so.

Approaching the counter swiftly she stated firmly but tentatively, "Hello?" At first there was no immediate response to her soft spoken word - after all, the business community at the heart of Deep Space Nine was swarming with an overload of customers, Dabo girls, security officers... and dozens of conversations were taking place everywhere simultaneously. So little Molly raised her face enthusiastically upward toward the countertop towering above her and screamed at the top of her lungs. "_Hello up there... I'd like an extra large plate of gagh please!_"

There was a brief pause, and then the burly owner of the Klingon restaurant slowly leaned over his countertop and glanced down toward the upturned face of the young girl. His expression was stern, but it was clearly obvious that he was at least mildly amused by Molly's outburst. "Well hello there little human child," the Klingon said enthusiastically, his deep voice booming in response. "You look a little delicate to be eating fresh live gagh, and - I might add - it's not even close to lunch time yet."

Nog was already howling delightedly, and Jake temporarily forgot that the two of them were in hiding as he slapped the floor while also laughing uncontrollably. They promptly fell silent again when the large Klingon immediately redirected his gaze toward the throngs of people crowding the Promenade's main business area, searching steadily for the notorious pair of youngsters that he suspected would be lurking nearby. Snickering with unabated amusement, Jake and Nog continued to watch the encounter between the brawny Klingon and the small girl from their concealed location beneath the unoccupied table.

Molly smiled sweetly at the Klingon and then expertly delivered her next lines. "If you don't have the fresh stuff, I'll take my gagh stewed, please. I don't have much time for lunch you see... I must return to duty and continue fighting the battle of kLACH d'KEL bRAKT!"

"_kLACH d'KEL bRAKT?_" repeated the restaurant owner, laughing deeply and with considerable amusement at the small girl's unrestrained chutzpah. "What does a small child like _you_ know about such a famous Klingon battle?" he asked curiously, peering more closely at the tiny girl standing proudly in front of his restaurant counter.

In response to the unlikely exchange between the two and their subsequent conversation, Nog was laughing so hard that he nearly rolled out into the horde of legs and feet continually moving past their table. Jake simply shook his head back and forth while continuing to chuckle with delight. "I can't _believe_ she pronounced all that correctly," he said with a delighted grin. "You did a _great_ job little Molly... we owe you one."

Their laughter continued as the Klingon emerged from behind his serving counter and bent over, leaning his large face very close to Molly's. He asked her something in a tone low enough to be lost among the other voices in the crowd, and neither Jake nor Nog could hear the owner's exact words. They both immediately stopped chuckling, however, upon noticing Molly suddenly turn and point directly at their hidden location. Nog was so startled and eager to begin a retreat that he tried to stand and immediately banged his head on the underside of the table surface. "_Ouch!_" the young Ferengi growled, rubbing his bruised noggin in an attempt to relieve the sudden, sharp pain.

"Oh oh, this jig is definitely up!" Jake decided with one final, delighted laugh. "It's time to get out of here Nog!" Hurriedly both he and the Ferengi youngster emerged from under the table and swiftly made their way into the teeming crowd of civilian customers and Starfleet personnel. They did their best to blend in with the throngs of other people - succeeding a little too well actually. Jake never even saw Odo coming until he ran directly into the tall, familiar form of the station's shapeshifting Constable.

"Good morning Nog... good morning Mr. Sisko," declared Odo imperiously, folding his arms as he stared intently down at the two youngsters. "And just _how_ are things with you two today?"

"Great... uhm, _perfect!_" decided Nog with an unexpected burst of enthusiasm. Both he and Jake nodded firmly. "_Absolutely_ perfect in fact," the Ferengi repeated quickly, chuckling nervously and smiling so widely that he displayed most of his pointed teeth.

"Tell me... is the view from beneath the tables better, or is it just more comfortable under there?" asked the Constable curiously. As soon as he spoke the words, Jake knew that they were busted. Quite obviously Odo had spotted them hiding and decided to lower the boom on the two friends. The infamous three year tradition that he and Nog had started, that of playing pranks on the Promenade, continued to be a tough mission to pull off successfully. He was actually surprised on this occasion... usually Odo caught them because their joke-of-the-day backfired. So actually succeeding for once had actually inspired the pair of friends, even if they had to endure the usual scolding.

"We were just people watching," protested Jake, his eyes widening as he realized that this prank wasn't ending with the standard lecture. "In a manner of speaking..."

Odo shook his head with dismay. "I would think that you could find something better to do with your time on days when school isn't in session," he commented idly. "Particularly you, Mr. Sisko. Why don't you take up some sort of a hobby with your father? You could play Bajoran spring ball in a holosuite or something similar. A little exercise would do both of you good, and I'm afraid that running rampant around the Promenade just isn't an option I'm going to leave open to you."

Jake responded by shrugging his shoulders. "Dad doesn't have much spare time, and when he does there's usually something else that takes up most of his free time."

"Why don't you try _asking_ him anyway?" suggested Odo persistently. "Your father enjoys recreational activities as much as anyone else."

"I would, but he's _always_ busy, Odo. Take yesterday for example... Dad spent the majority of his off hours working on enhancements to a phaser. He was trying to modify it so that it fires an invisible beam of energy. Now why in the world would he want to waste hours of his personal time on something as useless as _that?_"

"Indeed... why would he?" replied Odo curiously, frowning noticeably as he listened to the unexpected comment. For a brief moment his thoughts shifted away from the two boys and their latest delinquency.

Nog broke the awkward silence that ensued rather suddenly with a frightened shriek upon noticing the unexpected arrival of the Klingon restaurant owner. "I see you have found my two young, human friends," the huge, broad-shouldered alien growled, appearing next to Odo as he smiled darkly at Jake and Nog. "Honorable Constable Odo, would you please excuse these two boys... they have an appointment at my restaurant."

"We do?" asked Jake with puzzlement.

"Yes... we _do!_" Nog decided instantly, making the impulsive decision hastily in an attempt to seize any available opportunity to escape from Odo's clutches. "We have an appointment with... with...." He pointed at the huge Klingon for emphasis. "...with _him!_"

Jake smiled sheepishly at Odo. "As for that 'under the table' thing... well, it's just like I told you. We were just people watching," he insisted once again.

"Oh you were, were you?" asked Odo doubtfully. "_That_ would be a nice change of pace from your usual activities." He waved an authoritarian finger back and forth menacingly in front of the two boys. "You _both_ know the rules by now. _Behave_ and we'll all get along fine," the shapeshifter cautioned them. "_Misbehave_ and you'll be seeing a lot more of me!"

"On this particular day, 'people watching' has turned out to be a very rewarding activity for _both_ of these boys," said the Klingon with a wide grin. He put his lengthy arms around the two young people and escorted them casually away from Odo and back in the general direction of his business. "My assistant, little Molly O'Brien, has chosen the two of you as today's surprise contest winners."

"Contest winners?" Jake looked back at Odo hopefully, his expression begging for a rescue. Unfortunately, the Constable simply stood there with his arms folded, flashing Jake one small, wry smile of amusement as he watched the pair of friends being led away by their extremely large Klingon escort.

"Yes... you _both_ have won today's _free_ lunch. I owe each of you an entire serving of fresh, live _gagh!_" announced the station's Klingon chef proudly.

"_Ugghhh!_" Nog gasped, wincing at the mere possibility of eating the worm-like, Klingon food. "Couldn't you replicate something else... a couple of plates of tube grubs perhaps?" he asked hopefully.

"Not a chance," boomed the Klingon restaurant owner. "To refuse my offering would be a cultural offense of the highest order. My _entire_ government would be offended, in fact... and their honor would demand that they seek out the proper revenge against you and your families."

"_Revenge?_" Jake swallowed uncomfortably hard. He was only partially certain the Klingon was kidding.

"Rest assured that will never happen. However, each of you must now make a _choice_," declared the large alien as he guided both Jake and Nog into his restaurant. "And let me caution you... Torgud gagh wiggles, Filden gagh squirms, Meshta gagh jumps, Bithool gagh has feet, Wistan gagh is packed in Targ blood... Which of these, I wonder, will my lucky contest winners choose? Which particular gagh will appeal to your palate? I also have samples available of the other forty-seven varieties if you wish to try each of them as well..."

"Can we choose to _skip_ lunch?" asked Nog hopefully.

"No."

* * *

Commander Sisko cautiously entered a cargo bays one of the few not currently in use. It was a smaller storage area, with five available exits including one allowing direct access to an airlock. Some of the vessels that visited the station often lacked anti-grav and transporter technology, so the Cardassians who originally designed the storage area had planned for that contingency. There were a few barrels of something sitting next to the metal, red gear-shaped doorway that connected this particular room directly to the nearest docking port. The other four doorways varied in size and allowed critical access to other key areas necessary for the rapid movement of cargo.

Sisko quickly verified that - aside from the small stack of barrels - the rest of the chamber was empty. "Computer, seal all entrances to this room... authorization Sisko Omega Niner Two Zero."

"_Cargo bay sealed_," confirmed the station's main computer. The Commander couldn't detect any obvious speakers along the walls in the large storage chamber - the familiar, electronic female voice simply drifted downward from above.

Removing the 29th century Comm-badge that Thomas Ducane had given him, Sisko activated it. Almost immediately, he noticed a holographic image of himself spring to life. It was definitely him, but - as Ducane had warned him - the Benjamin Sisko recruited during the _Relativity_'s past crisis had been both older and supposedly wiser. The Commander studied his alter ego carefully, noting that experience wasn't the only thing about himself that would apparently change over the years.

"Hello Commander," the hologram said pleasantly. This elder version of Sisko was wearing a 29th century Starfleet uniform. The tunic was mostly charcoal black with a diamond patterned splash of dark blue across the right shoulder.

"Hello Benjamin," Sisko replied dryly, rubbing his smooth chin. "Tell me... just _when_ exactly in my future do I decide to shave off all the hair on my head and start growing it on my face instead? Is it before or after I get promoted to the rank of Captain?"

The image of Benjamin Sisko smiled back at him. "That's a long story," he stated simply enough.

"Did Ducane also debrief you?" asked the Commander curiously. "Are you aware of the situation we're currently faced with here in my time?"

"I know all the details up to the point where I was deactivated," admitted Benjamin. He thoughtfully stroked his dark beard and smiled. "Ducane ran a simulation using several dozen of our holographic personalities before Captain Data decided which two to take back in time with him. Captain Janeway and Tom Paris were obvious choices for this particular timeframe because we needed to keep the operation covert. Therefore the concept of smuggling one of Janeway's people into the Maquis as an undercover agent proved to be the best solution." Pausing for a moment, the holographic expression of the elder Sisko grew inquisitive. "How are things going?"

"So far so good." The Commander shrugged. "Ducane has even showed up here on one occasion to assist me with temporal incursion control. I have to say, he and his people are most definitely highly trained professionals."

The hologram continued to watch Sisko closely. "What did you activate me for... advice?"

"I wanted to see who Ducane chose as my moral compass in this matter," stated the Commander truthfully. "Having now seen the older, supposedly more experienced version of myself... well, let's just say that so far I think he could have done better."

"Why would you say that? I am as close to what will someday be you as is technically possible."

The Commander waved a hand casually around them. "We have a lot of extra people aboard this station right now... most of them Starfleet officers and civilians who are trapped here for the duration of my lockdown. And yet I had to come here - to try and find an isolated spot on a very crowded station. If I need to visit with you again, I don't see the presence of _you_ in particular as being very helpful... especially if I activate you in the privacy of my quarters and Jake walks in on us."

The holographic Benjamin grinned and waved an index finger at him. "You're _not_ supposed to consult me unless you have no other choice," he reminded the Commander. "If the situation calls for it, I'm quite capable of providing you with a strong, experienced second opinion."

"I would have preferred someone who could freely move about on the Promenade, similar to what Captain Janeway and Paris did," stated the Commander honestly. "This is far too constrictive a process for you to provide any significant assistance."

"Don't forget, my personality matrix is _separate_ from the internal image generator. I can project a different appearance if that is what you need," replied Benjamin. "I can still be you plus a few years, yet look and speak like anyone you want me to."

"Let me think about that option for a while," decided Sisko. "So far everything is under control." He reached out and tapped the Comm-badge lightly, deactivating his holographic counterpart. Then he instructed the main computer to unlock the doors to the cargo bay and headed back to his quarters.

_Honestly, _he thought silently_. What _will_ Ducane and his 29th century colleagues think of next?_

* * *

Later in the afternoon, Sisko was relaxing in the main living area of his quarters when the door chime sounded. "Come in," he said, loudly enough so that the person in the corridor could hear him. He did not, however, look up from the data on the electronic padd that he was reading from.

"May I speak with you Commander?" asked Odo. The alien Changeling who had served Deep Space Nine's crew for many years entered through the doorway. Sisko noticed that the Constable appeared much more agitated than usual, and that he also frowned deeply while preparing to speak.

"Of course." Sisko smiled, waving toward the empty chairs opposite him. "Have a seat Odo."

Although the shapeshifter was clearly bothered by something, he appeared unusually hesitant to speak his mind. Odo cleared his throat and finally accepted the Commander's offer, seating himself in one of the room's empty chairs. "I ran into Jake and Nog on the Promenade today..." he began slowly.

Sisko shook his head with amusement. "Ah," he replied, snapping his fingers. "I forgot that there isn't any school today. I hope that my son and his friend were behaving themselves."

Odo harrumphed in response. "Let's just say your son and Nog share an _interesting_ friendship and leave it at that," the Constable decided. "I've noticed over the years that a few unplanned pranks from the young ones on board this station actually improve morale." He shrugged his shoulders. "However, I still work very hard to make certain that such... _unscheduled_ activities are minimized."

"So it's not Jake that brought you here." Sisko set down the electronic padd and looked directly at Odo. "What then is troubling you Constable?"

"If you'll excuse me for being blunt, _you_ are," said the shapeshifter evenly.

"Why?" Sisko responded with similar directness.

"Ever since we were attacked aboard the _Ha'Husia_ while it was parked on the surface of Denali Prime, your behavior has struck me as somewhat out of the ordinary," observed Odo. "I'm not the best psychologist in the sector, but I do know a thing or two about the people whom I regularly work with."

Odo paused, clearly working hard to choose the correct phrasing of each sentence. It was very obvious to Sisko that the Constable was going out of his way to be tactful. "Please continue," the Commander said.

"While on Denali Prime, I was transported away from the _Yellowjacket_ immediately after things started happening," pointed out Odo. "After that, we eventually returned here only to find the strange, alien attacks continuing. I also thought it was unusual that you would leave both Chief O'Brien and Doctor Bashir behind on a mission that Lt. Commander Data should have been able to handle on his own. After all, he had a Starfleet Captain with him as well."

"Suspicions are suspicions," said Sisko with a mild shrug. "And speculation resolves nothing. Get to the point Odo... what specifically about me is bothering you?"

There was a pause as Odo studied the Commander's expression thoroughly before continuing. "I don't think you're telling me everything you know about this matter," the station's Constable declared firmly. "Withholding relevant information is something you don't do very often, and I want to be certain that what you refrain from sharing with me isn't affecting my ability to maintain security aboard DS9."

"What exactly am I not telling you?"

Odo's frown changed to a look of mild annoyance. "We've always been able to level with each other, so I hope you'll level with me now Commander." The shapeshifter leaned forward and clasped the fingers of both hands together in a tight grip. "Michael Eddington and I contacted Starfleet Command and have been able to verify that Lt. Commander Data is still assigned to Captain Picard... all official documentation and authorizations on record clearly list him as still serving aboard the _Enterprise_."

The expression on Sisko's face remained calm. "We are facing a totally unknown enemy..." he began.

"Yes, we _are_," Odo agreed firmly. "Do you _realize_ what kind of high level security clearance it would take for officers at Starfleet Command to covertly reassign Data to a mission aboard this station, all the while maintaining the pretense that he is still aboard the _Enterprise_?" The shapeshifter laughed sharply. "Eddington informs me that it would take a great _deal_ of security clearance, and Captain Picard very likely also knows about the mission. He probably told his crew a different story, that Data is somewhere else... on vacation or perhaps attending a scientific conference of some sort."

"Odo, you know as much as I am allowed to tell you," Sisko replied bluntly. "I'm afraid that everything else must be unofficial and off the record. I'm sure Mr. Eddington has informed you that he also does not always know everything, even though he too has access to significantly more classified information than the average officer. I'm not a Captain yet, but I'm only a promotion away and even I would like to know more about Data and his mission to this station." He paused briefly and exhaled, feeling slightly angered and more intense emotion than he was accustomed to. "I _trust_ Data to complete the assignment he has been tasked with, which is the only reason I trusted him with O'Brien and Bashir."

Odo sighed heavily. "Captain Janeway is an even tougher nut to crack," he admitted. "Her next assignment will be to take over command of the starship _Voyager_, but that change of assignment is not scheduled for at least two to three months. Her current location is listed at the Utopia Planetia..."

"With respect Odo, you're cracking the _wrong_ nuts," countered Sisko with mild anger. "You and Mr. Eddington are _supposed_ to maintain security on this station and protect the people aboard it. All of them, civilian, Bajoran military, or Starfleet."

"I agree Commander." Odo's eyes focused intently on Sisko. "Therefore it would make my job significantly easier if I didn't also know that you have been running around this station with a phaser that fires an invisible charge. When exactly was _vigilantism_ added to your job description?"

Sisko's expression was one of sincere and total surprise. "You know about my phaser?"

"Jake mentioned it this morning," replied the Changeling, "while I was 'visiting' with him and Nog."

"All you need to know is that I'm assisting you with security, on my own time," suggested Sisko. "And I am sincerely hoping that my explanation will satisfy both you and Mr. Eddington."

"But it _doesn't_," Odo protested. "That woman in Quark's quarters had the ability to _shapeshift_. If you _know_ something Commander... if you know something about the Dominion - or more specifically about my people and their potential threat to the Alpha Quadrant - well, then I have a personal interest in this matter as well as a professional one."

"The enemy that we face on this occasion is _not_ the Dominion," stated Sisko as honestly and sincerely as he could. "My orders are to allow Lt. Commander Data and Captain Janeway to run their mission as they see fit, provide them with all necessary assistance, and otherwise stay out of their way." He paused briefly, knowing that if he said more it would border on an outright lie. But he needed to say something more or his instincts told him that Odo would never be satisfied. "In exchange for my help, it is possible that Data and Janeway have provided me with a list of potential 'troublemakers' to keep an eye on," he continued. "That is why I am occasionally intervening behind the scenes... not because I like interfering but because it is necessary on this occasion."

"With respect Commander, security is _my _job and not yours," Odo protested.

"Not in this case... not against this particular enemy of the Federation. Starfleet Intelligence assigns a classified status to the information it chooses to because that particular data is dangerous if the wrong people know about it."

The Constable simply sat there for a few minutes, thinking the matter over. It was unclear how he was reacting to their conversation, so Sisko prodded him a bit. "I _promise_ to share with you anything new that I hear if it will impact your ability to maintain station security," the Commander promised. "But - like you - I sometimes hear things on a last minute basis. If I am in a particular area and have the opportunity to prevent an incident as it takes place I will... it's something _any_ competent Starfleet officer would do, even if they don't happen to have a modified phaser with them."

Odo continued to press him. "I would really like to have my own copy of this _list_ of troublemakers you received," he admitted. "It would make my job a lot easier."

_Aha!_ Sisko's conscience screamed at him. _The problem with telling lies and half truths is that there are always intelligent people around who will eventually call your bluff_.

"The Data/Janeway mission is classified at a Starfleet Intelligence level so high you might not believe it," the Commander said truthfully. "Even Eddington and I must remain in the dark regarding most of it."

The Constable rose from his seat. "You can officially add this little scenario to my growing list of things that I don't _like_ about Starfleet," Odo declared tersely. "And, Commander, if you're going to continue taking the law into your own hands, please make certain I don't catch you."

Sisko was tempted to chuckle but kept his expression stern and his tone serious. "_Trust_ me Odo," he emphasized. "You and I are receiving assistance on this matter. All we have to do is continue with our respective duties and everything will be okay." Although he was clearly not happy with the Commander's decision to withhold information, Odo accepted the decision and moved swiftly toward the door. Seconds later, he exited out into the corridor.

_Talk about a confusing, awkward gray area!_ The Commander's mind whirled with angry and confused thoughts about his helplessness and the delicate nature of the situation. It was also a matter that he was caught squarely in the middle of. His frustration continued to grow until he remembered his short visit to the 29th century, Ducane's briefing, and he calmed himself down by thinking about the magnitude of the decisions and consequences that Captain Data was currently faced with.

_For once he felt content with simply being a humble station Commander_.

* * *

Deep Space Nine, Promenade, Stardate 48250.8

* * *

Lt. Commander Michael Eddington was seated comfortably at Quark's bar, sipping a cold glass of non-alcoholic ale. He had officially been off-shift now for several hours, but had continued to hang around the Promenade on his own time. When things happened lately, they tended to happen very quickly. Eddington was just as determined as Odo to keep the people aboard Deep Space Nine safe. Many of the Starfleet officers temporarily assigned to work on the station's weapons upgrades were personal friends of his, while others were people he had worked closely with on past assignments. His relationship with Odo had warmed considerably during the past few weeks and Eddington wanted to insure that they continued to cooperate.

"Would you like another root beer Mr. Eddington?" asked Quark amiably.

The security officer laughed loudly and held up his glass. "This is a dark Bajoran ale," he pointed out. "Root beer is bubbly and cloy... totally unlike the atmosphere around here lately."

Quark accepted the glass from Eddington and sniffed its contents curiously. "I see what you mean," he admitted, turning and picking out a bottle from the well stocked counter behind him. He smiled as he poured the Commander another drink. "However, you won't hear me complaining about a captive audience," he said proudly, waving a hand at the Promenade bustling with activity. Leaning closer to Eddington he whispered softly, "At least, not until they run out of money."

Eddington scanned the faces in the crowd while sipping his drink. "Civilian merchants from Bajor _never_ run out of money," he commented. "Trust me, even with the normal shipping in this sector temporarily shut down, they're _still_ finding ways to make a profit. It's in their blood."

"It's in mine too," Quark grinned, spotting a new customer pulling up a chair. He quickly took the patron's order and served him a drink.

Seated next to Eddington was the ever present Lurian male called Morn, a burly fellow who spent much of his free time at Quark's. The two were old friends and had done business together on numerous occasions, and yet the security Commander still found himself feeling a bit awkward in the alien's presence. "Doesn't he ever say anything?" asked Eddington, jerking a thumb in Morn's direction.

The Ferengi bartender laughed uproariously. "He tends to get a little nervous around crowds," said Quark informatively, leaning closer to the security Commander. "But you heard it here first, as soon as most of you settle in for the night this man will talk even _my_ ears off."

Eddington took another drink of the dark Bajoran ale. "I don't _get_ to settle down tonight," he pointed out. "I have a few hours of off-time to relax and eat something. After that I'll be back on patrol and filling an empty slot on the night shift. One of my men is ill and was instructed by a nurse in Dr. Bashir's Infirmary to take the night off."

"Hmm... he probably ate at that Klingon restaurant," decided Quark, pointing toward the dimly lit establishment. "I've heard rumors about how that guy stores his food... _terrible_ rumors."

"Fortunately I don't eat blood pie," retorted Eddington with a wry smile. He lifted his glass to take another drink, but was distracted by someone tapping him on the shoulder. Swiveling about on his bar stool, the Lt. Commander noticed a tall, dark-skinned Vulcan standing next to him.

"Excuse me," the man said very politely. "My name is Tuvok. I am looking for someone who can assist me in booking passage on a ship bound for the demilitarized zone. I am a dealer in kivas and trillium, and hope to establish new business connections there."

"The Ferengi bartender knows all about that subject," replied Eddington, pointing a finger directly at Quark. "Although I hope you're not planning on going anywhere for awhile - all traffic to and from this station has currently been restricted until the station Commander chooses to lift the lockdown."

"I had heard about that," nodded Tuvok calmly. "Therefore it would seem logical for me to locate a vessel and establish a relationship with its Captain in the interim. I will then be able to continue on my way as soon as travel in this sector resumes. Thank you for your assistance."

"You're welcome," Eddington responded cheerfully, raising his glass in a mock toast as the Vulcan moved past him and headed toward Quark. "If the Alpha Quadrant didn't have the Vulcans, we would _all_ certainly be less logical and efficient, wouldn't we?" He glanced at Morn but the Lurian chose not to respond and simply continued staring straight ahead. The Lt. Commander noticed the alien's half empty glass and chuckled before finishing his own drink. Deciding to finish up some paperwork before his next on-duty shift, he left the Promenade and headed back to his quarters.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Michael Eddington still had quite a bit of paperwork to complete. He glanced briefly toward the half empty sandwich on the plate next to his computer monitor and then returned his attention to the security reports listed on the display. Idly, he grabbed the bridge of his nose with the fingers of one hand and lightly massaged the area in an attempt to ease the tension in his forehead. He never even heard the dimensional rift forming behind him - Eddington continued to read quietly right up until the emerald green tendril of energy wrapped itself tightly around his throat.

Gasping for breath, the security chief fell over backwards in his chair as a mighty tug on the tendril dragged him relentlessly backward. Lying flat on his back, his eyes drifted to the desk where his phaser and Comm-badge lay. Angrily, he reached up with both hands and tried to grab the graviton cord encircling his neck. At first it felt soft and its energized, electrical nature raised the hair on the back of both his forearms. Then his fingers closed around the solid part of it... the cable-like rope that held him firmly. Even as he fought to free himself Eddington could see a second dimensional rift forming in front of him, with yet another glittering rope-like tendril emerging from it.

Fear and adrenalin spurring him on, the Lt. Commander grabbed the tendril holding him captive at a point several feet away from his neck and yanked as hard as he possibly could. The cord snapped suddenly taut, but whatever it was connected to inside of the rippling hole in subspace held firm. Another abrupt pull from within the rift tugged him even farther, irresistibly backward and he knew that he was in grave danger. As he slid closer and closer to oblivion, the familiar, dark-robed form that he had studied so many times using Chief O'Brien's tricorder data materialized in front of the second subspace rupture. Its glowing red eyes blazed brightly as they studied Eddington with unknown intent. Since the creature had no facial expression to read, he had no idea what it had planned for him and yet its sudden appearance and tightly gripped chokehold around his neck left the security officer with no false illusion that this was a friendly visit.

_"YOUR PRESENCE HERE IS NO LONGER NECESSARY."_

Again the glowing green tendril of energy tugged with such force that his body was lifted completely off the floor. Eddington tried to scream but couldn't... he was only able to gasp defiantly for breath until one last violent pull on the energy cord yanked him inside the rift and he vanished completely inside the subspace rupture and was gone. The creature watched the entire encounter, which took only seconds to complete, and then raised one dark-robed robed arm that ended in a pointing, crooked finger. The initial rift that Eddington had passed through closed completely and a third opening appeared on the other side of the room. Almost instantly a duplicate Michael Eddington emerged from inside the new spatial opening and began a thorough inspection of the room.

"This looks just like my other quarters," said the second Eddington with a malicious smile. "You say it's much calmer here... that I won't have to constantly fight your battles?" The alien creature did not respond immediately. Its raised arm shifted, pointing this time toward the computer on the Lt. Commander's desk.

_"STUDY HIS ASSIGNMENTS. LEARN HIS DUTIES AND REPLACE HIM HERE,"_ commanded the Overseer, its voice a pale, rasping imitation of the humanoid equivalent. _"FOLLOW MY ORDERS AND SPY FOR ME... OR YOU TOO WILL DIE JUST AS QUICKLY AS THIS OTHER LIFE FORM HAS."_

"I live to serve," the duplicate Michael Eddington promised, nodding respectfully toward the alien.

The hooded Overseer vanished back inside of its own subspace rift and the room went suddenly still as all traces of its presence disappeared just as quickly. The Comm-badge on the desk suddenly chirped for attention. "_All available security personnel... proceed to Lt. Commander Eddington's quarters immediately_." Jadzia Dax's voice crackled with only moderate distortion out of the small device. "_Additional gravitational anomalies have been detected there_."

Eddington abruptly realized that he only had seconds left before the arrival of others, so he hastily picked up the phaser and repeatedly fired it at the far wall. He aimed the weapon in the general direction of his predecessor's disappearance, burning several dark smoking trails in the metal wall and floor plating beneath it. By the time that Odo and the others arrived to assist him, the charred, smoking streaks left by the phaser beam made everything appear exactly as though the Lt. Commander had fought a valiant battle and somehow managed to survive.

"It's okay," Eddington declared calmly, raising both hands and holding the phaser weapon in a non-threatening manner for emphasis. "It's all over... I managed to chase the alien away."


	10. The Menagerie, Part 2

_**Author's Notes:** The best source of ideas for Trek episodes has always come from fans. During the time when TNG, VOY, DS9, and ENT were on the air, I regularly heard stories about fans mailing in ideas and even whole scripts. Fan participation is an amazing part of the inspiration that continues to be Gene Roddenberry's smash all-time hit. It is also what drove me to write these stories. However, during the time I was posting Chapters for "Eternal Soul", a reader named "The Old Man" posted a review expressing disappointement regarding the fate of Captain Hernandez and the Columbia during its crash in the Gamma Quadrant. He had been hoping that things would have turned out much differently, rather than "dead ending" so suddenly. So I sincerely encourage everyone - not just "The Old Man" - to read this Chapter and decide whether ANY storyline in "Star Trek" ever truly dead ends._

_Thanks "Old Man"! I hope you and everyone else continues to read and review!_

_SoT_

* * *

**Star Trek: Reign Of Terror**

**Chapter X: The Menagerie, Part 2**

* * *

Star cluster 112, Preserver Council of the Elders, 5.2 million years in the future

* * *

Like his colleague from past, Commander Frank Roberts was also a Data-Class android from the 29th century, and the individual who had actually deposed the infamous Sentinel and eventually defeated his dark plans to destroy all sentient life in the Milky Way. Supported by James T. Kirk, Jean Luc Picard, and Charles "Trip" Tucker - precision duplicates of the original living beings created with Preserver technology - Roberts was also the current head of the Federation delegation serving the very powerful Preserver Council of Elders. As with other Data-type androids, Roberts possessed an internal emotion chip designed to 'stimulate' his positronic personality. Surprisingly, the electronic 'feelings' generated by that device had initially driven his ambition relentlessly. After his unanticipated arrival from the past into a future more than five million years distant, it was perfectly understandable that a rapid shift to so different a career path would not be easy. However, Roberts had long since forgiven himself for going through an understandable adjustment period and focused his attention on more important matters.

Even though his android abilities far surpassed those of his human allies, Roberts had not 'felt' completely comfortable in his new role for many months. Fortunately, the combined command and administrative experience of Kirk and Picard had provided him with the support needed to successfully endure the rapid transition required as he assumed his new responsibilities. Roberts had also spoken with Charles 'Trip' Tucker on numerous occasions, relying on the former NX-01 engineer's 'down to Earth' nature and overall common sense for valuable insight. As Roberts gradually settled into his new duties as leader of the Federation representatives, he had actually grown comfortable enough with his new role to begin thinking of his original assignment under Captain Raphael Snyder aboard the Timeship _U.S.S. Hillyer_ as his 'old career'. It was only after his friend Captain Data contacted him using the subspace network that Roberts had once again begun thinking about his career that might have been.

James Kirk entered the common area in the small living facility currently in use by the former members of Starfleet. Their living arrangements had originally been temporary, but since there were only four of them the half dozen bedrooms and main living area had proven to be sufficient for their needs. Kirk replicated himself a hot cup of coffee, noticing that Roberts was busy studying data related to the items listed on the agenda for the next Council meeting. "How are things progressing?" he asked curiously. "Do you need any help with your preparations, Commander?"

Roberts glanced up with an amused, android smirk very similar to Data's. "Everything is fine Captain," he replied politely. "And if I understand matters correctly, it is you and Captain Picard who have run into more than a little difficulty of late."

"Both Picard and I knew that this mission would present a tough challenge," acknowledged Kirk unapologetically, his usual self confidence fully present. "We're making progress, even if it's _gradual_ progress." He sighed heavily and smiled. "By now we had been hoping that the trainees we've been teaching would themselves be ready to assume the role of trainer. But none of them are sufficiently prepared so far... our techniques are still somewhat strange to them." He chuckled, sipping at his coffee. "With more than five million years separating our society from theirs, I guess I would have been surprised if we didn't run into at least _some_ cultural conflict."

"The Preservers have a long history of offering their assistance to anyone who needs it... in any universe and at any point in time." Roberts set down the electronic dataset that he had been reading from and regarded Kirk thoughtfully. "The ambition of this culture's leadership is unmatched by any I have ever encountered previously. Only after the unsuccessful incident with the Sentinel did they finally begin to admit to themselves that their resources and personnel were finite... that they needed to slow down."

"Our Federation delegation is so small, which really hasn't helped matters," admitted Kirk. "That's one of the reasons why I myself have become concerned. Jean-Luc is one of the hardest working people I've ever met, but the strain on him has begun to show. Unlike you, we are vulnerable, biological beings and our ability to contribute is also... finite."

"I will mention your situation at the next Council meeting," promised Roberts. "You deserve a reasonable work schedule along with adequate support staff. It is quite possible that additional personnel can be rotated away from other projects and reassigned to assist you."

Kirk seated himself in one of the common area's comfortable chairs and leaned back. "That would deprive someone else of the help they need, and a shortage of help is not the entire problem," he said in one of his rare moments of complete candor. "Captain Picard and I are not exactly youngsters any longer... we're both beginning to get somewhat older and more than a little grayer."

"Do not underestimate yourself or Jean-Luc Picard," suggested Roberts. "I could never have successfully introduced a permanent Federation delegation to the Council of Elders without the help provided by the two of you. The diplomatic experience that each of you possesses is unique and unmatched by a majority of humanoids."

The Commander seemed hesitant to broach the topic, so Kirk decided to speak up and ask. "Have you heard anything new from Captain Data regarding his latest problem?"

Roberts paused, his neural net once again flooded with thoughts of the 29th century and the unknown temporal incursions currently being monitored there. "Not since I transmitted our holographic database files and mobile emitter schematics to him," he admitted. "That was more than two days ago. This situation has been a tough experience for me... realizing that Starfleet's past - our past - is long since over and done with. And yet, with one simple connection to that subspace network, I can contact and interact with Captain Data in real time... as easily as if he were sitting here in this room."

"The Nexus technology that was used to create real, sentient life forms like Picard and me is now a proven one," Kirk mused. "You could theoretically replicate _everyone _who fought with us against the Sentinel and send them back to help. It would be just as easy as your duplication of Trip Tucker."

If Roberts had been human he would have laughed heartily... even so his emotion chip tempted him to chuckle. "The mission for Captain Data on this occasion follows parameters similar to those enforced during the battle against the Sentinel," he stated bluntly. "He is working to resolve a temporal crisis without damaging the timeline." He shook his head negatively. "An army of duplicates sent into the past would only cause more problems for Starfleet than currently exist there."

"You could still create the duplicates," pointed out Kirk. "Keep them here to assist Captain Picard and me with our teaching projects. "Trip has already been a big help to us... as would the combined skill set of all those representatives from Starfleet. Janeway and Sisko alone would instantly _double_ our arsenal of experienced Starfleet Captains, and if we included Jonathan Archer..."

"The creation of Commander Tucker was one of the more... 'emotionally' inspired decisions that I rushed into upon first arriving here," Roberts responded. "Like Captain Data, I too have internal, detailed memories from previous android ancestors. However, my actual, practical experience in service to Starfleet is significantly less than his. Therefore I am much more susceptible than he is to the subtle influences of an overly stimulated emotion chip." The android paused, mentally reviewing memories from the past at a speed incomprehensible to Kirk. "Having actually met Trip during our brief war against the Sentinel," he continued, "I grew to know him as a person and - knowing about his unfortunate fate on the NX-01 - I began to grasp the unbelievably colossal loss that his friends and colleagues must have felt in the aftermath of his premature death in the 22nd century. I wanted to find a way to keep him alive so that he could continue to contribute positively to this delicate universe we live in. _Then_ the decision made perfect sense to me logically, but ethically..." The android trailed off abruptly, clearly still troubled by the situation. "_Now_ I am unsure whether I acted properly."

"Our mortality is a distinctly _uncomfortable_ subject for most humanoids to deal with emotionally," agreed Kirk. "I almost lost Spock - and other friends I served with - well before their time on many occasions." His expression darkened at the unpleasant memories. "And for a brief time I actually _did_ lose Spock... and it felt..." He paused, remembering the experience vividly. "...it felt like the loss of a friend, of family... I can even recall _astonishment_ upon suddenly realizing just how much experience and knowledge Spock's death took with him. It was like a library burning down, except that this loss was a dear and valued friend - not simply years of accumulated knowledge."

"You lost him for _'a brief time'?_" The phrasing of the words clearly perplexed Roberts.

"Yes," Kirk continued. "A combination of luck, circumstance and pure determination on my part allowed me to bring him back from an early death. And something very similar has led you to breathe new life into Tucker. So you may have doubts about it Commander, but please remember that everything positive that his duplicate accomplishes here with us is because _you_ refused to give him up."

Roberts picked up the portable, laptop-like computer dataset that allowed him to interface with the Preservers' main computer system and its various sentient computer personalities. "I would like to point out that holograms are also useful in this matter - especially since we have definitively proven that their behavior will virtually match that of the duplicated living being," he stated firmly. "And right now holograms are all that I am prepared to deal with, Captain. I don't _need_ moral and ethical matters further complicating our interaction with the Council at this particular time - that would only add to the large number of obstacles that we must already overcome. I am afraid that you and Captain Picard will have to make do for now, until additional research and debate on this matter can be completed." The android raised the screen on his dataset and returned his attention to the report that he had been reading earlier.

"Good enough," acknowledged Kirk. "However, if Captain Data chooses not to check in, you may wish to connect to that network of yours and contact _him_. The four of us have gotten through some tough times in recent months - not to mention all of that business with the Sentinel - by working together. It might be good for Data to know that he has additional help _here_ and available, even if all we can offer him is our advice. I think you should remind him that he is not alone during his crisis."

The laptop's screen was raised, but Roberts' eyes flicked upward over the top of its upper edge to meet Kirk's gaze firmly. "That is an excellent suggestion James Kirk," the Commander agreed. "I promise that I will check in with our colleague from the past if we do not hear anything further from him before the end of this day."

* * *

Gamma Quadrant Alternate Universe, Near the Yadera Star System, Stardate Unknown

* * *

The star shine streaming past the _Yellowjacket_'s cockpit windows gradually slowed and transitioned to a normal view of space as the runabout dropped out of warp speed. Traveling at high impulse, the small vessel roared ahead on final approach toward the nearby Yaderan star system. Data remained in his usual seat at the helm while Chief O'Brien continued to man the co-pilot's chair. O'Brien was carefully watching the status readouts from the enhancement hardware that he and Data had earlier added to the Ops console. It wasn't a significantly large piece of equipment, but the newly installed device's importance was proving to be a crucial tool necessary to the successful completion of their mission.

"You do not have to watch the transit buffer so closely," observed the android Captain, feeling mild electronic amusement as his ancestor's memories of Chief O'Brien's meticulous nature briefly touched his neural net. "I assure you, the technology is both proven and reliable."

O'Brien simply shook his head. "I still can't believe we have over three _thousand_ people suspended in transit," he admitted, continuing to watch the flashing green status indicators. "How much physical storage capacity did you need to accomplish this latest feat?"

"Not as much as you might think," replied Data cryptically. "Every time Starfleet software requires additional memory, its engineers have traditionally found new ways to build larger storage systems." It suddenly occurred to the Captain that - once again - the Deep Space Nine specialist was learning way too much about the future. "Do not ask too many questions Chief," he reminded O'Brien. "Remember our situation please."

"I can't _help_ it!" gloated O'Brien, clearly amazed. "It's my _job_ to create things like this, for crying out loud. This situation is exactly like me asking Molly to guard a candy shop... she would be in _heaven!_" Chuckling to himself, he examined the transit buffer's simple connection to an input port on the side of the Ops console. "How long will it take before the patterns in the buffer begin to degrade and we have no choice but to rematerialize our 'passengers'? Are we facing a deadline?"

As they visited, the android Captain continued to pilot the _Yellowjacket_ farther inside the Yaderan star system. The runabout passed by a massive, ringed gas giant with swirling clouds of dark purple and lavender - at least a dozen various sized moons were clearly visible orbiting it. The ship's course continued carrying it directly toward the solar system's lone M-Class planet. "Theoretically there will be no pattern degradation of any kind so long as the unit retains power," stated Data informatively. "And I hesitate to brag, but the quantum singularity at the heart of this vessel's engine core is capable of supplying an uninterrupted, steady flow of power indefinitely... theoretically the singularity can exist in nature forever unless our scientists choose to dismantle it using the same quantum mechanics that were applied to ignite it."

"Now _you're_ doing the same thing!" O'Brien said with enthusiasm. "I may be asking too many questions, but _you're_ the one who is answering them... and doing a serious bit of boasting while you do so, I might add."

Data swiveled slightly in his seat and cast a wary, defensive glance at the Chief. "I am not bragging," he protested. "I am merely providing you with a general analysis of this ship's power source to ease your fears about the safety of the people we are holding suspended in transport."

O'Brien continued watching the transport buffer with extreme interest. "How many people did you say were in there again?"

"We beamed aboard 3,257 life forms," responded Data helpfully. "That total includes Captain Hernandez, the other seventy-two surviving members of her crew, and everyone with a quantum flux in their RNA matching an equivalent pattern sample from our universe. Except for the _Columbia_ crew complement, all of the other life forms were originally abducted from our own universe. We are taking them home with us so they can resume their normal lives. That should correct all major changes to the timeline caused by their premature disappearance."

"What about this particular star system... Yadera?"

"Yadera Prime is one of the Gamma Quadrant worlds occupied by the Dominion in our own universe," continued Data. "Despite the dangers of a Jem'Hadar reprisal, the citizens of this world granted refugee status to Captain Hernandez and her people, rescuing them from their crash site and allowing them to live out the rest of their lives." He was tempted to say more - especially about the _Enterprise-E_ and its mission to return _Columbia_ to the Alpha Quadrant. But that mission was still years away from taking place in O'Brien's time, and it would be inappropriate for Data to discuss those details. Instead of continuing the discussion, he briefly diverted his attention back to their approach toward the planet.

"This doesn't _look_ like an inhabited planet," noted O'Brien, leaning down slightly so that he could peer upward through the cockpit windows at the massive, cloud covered Earth-like horizon hanging in front of them. He studied the normal orbital positions around Yadera Prime curiously and then checked the incoming sensor results. "There are no satellites, space stations of any kind, and no space-going vessels..." Preliminary sensor data began to crawl across his display screen and the Chief read it with disbelief. "Oh oh," he said with sudden, growing anxiety.

Three large, cloud covered continents were visible through the windows and each of them were filled with the usual, common variations in surface terrain and surrounded by salt water oceans. There were mountain ranges, massive fresh water lakes, and plenty of lowlands normally suitable for humanoid life. Unfortunately, a majority of the planet's surface area had been shelled from orbit at some point in its past. "Radiation levels are too high for humanoid life; plant and animal life in the oceans is almost non-existent," Data noted, also examining the newest incoming sensor telemetry. "Apparently, the war between the Dominion and the Zygopterrans - in this universe at least - has resulted in the total annihilation of the Yaderan people."

"_This_ is where you were planning on bringing Hernandez and her crew?" O'Brien asked grimly.

"Affirmative. I had hoped that there would be a thriving society here similar to the Yaderan civilization in our own universe," Data admitted with a nod. "Logically, the proper place for the NX-02 crew from this alternate reality would be the same place that they took refuge in ours. Unfortunately it does not appear as though circumstances here in this version of the Gamma Quadrant are going to permit me to follow through with that plan. I will have to come up with another option."

"Bloody hell!" growled O'Brien irritably, unbuckling his seat's safety harness and moving back into the passenger section of the runabout. "Hey Julian... Captain Janeway... please get up here!" he requested urgently. "We have a major situation developing."

Bashir appeared almost immediately, and Data noticed Janeway silently follow him into the limited space behind the pair of cockpit seats a moment later. "What is it?" the Doctor asked curiously. His gaze drifted to the windows and he noticed massive, charred craters blown into the continent slowly rotating beneath them. "Good heavens," he gasped. "What happened here?"

"The Dominion, the Zygopterrans, someone else... does it matter?" O'Brien reseated himself and stared at the ruined planet beneath them. "Someone destroyed this world and all of the people living on it."

"But isn't that...?" Bashir's expression grew puzzled and he pointed toward the planet. "...isn't that where you had hoped to bring Captain Hernandez and the other survivors from _Columbia__?_"

"Yes..." Data confessed, appearing for a moment as though he was going to say more. He paused for several seconds, giving O'Brien and Bashir time to think. For Data, the duration of his delay was time enough to evaluate hundreds of thousands of different contingencies. "Doctor, have you completed your evaluation of Captain Hernandez and her crew?" he asked after thoroughly evaluating the new situation. "Will the medical treatment you gave them allow those people to recover from the various forms of radiation that they were exposed to on the Zygopterran home world?"

Bashir didn't respond at first, and the expression on his face gave away his unfortunate conclusion. "I did everything I could think of," he admitted finally. "In fact, I've been sitting back there trying to come up with something else... something new or innovative," he gestured over his shoulder toward the runabout's central living area behind him. "Quite simply, Hernandez and her people were captives on that planet too long for me to do anything except slow the acceleration of the damage. They have permanent radiation poisoning at the cellular level, _all_ of them. I'm afraid that traditional treatments will all be ineffective... it's only a matter of time now."

"How _much_ time?" persisted Data emphatically.

The Doctor glanced down at the floor dejectedly. "Each of them will live a maximum of five years - perhaps ten." He shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "The worst of their symptoms from the radiation field have been treated," he continued. "There is, however, no way to repair all of the cellular damage to their bodies and the resulting cancerous tumors... at least not without the additional help of technology way beyond anything currently available to me. Radiation sickness is just like any other medical condition - if it is allowed to progress too far, even the best medical facilities in the galaxy are useless."

"We could move back through _their_ time," O'Brien suggested. "Rescue them from that planet earlier..."

Janeway had been listening to the entire conversation and she shook her head slowly. "No."

The Chief glanced back at her desperately. "But we could _save_ them, Captain. We could..."

"We could interfere with _their_ timeline and change their future as easily as our own," Janeway cautioned him. "I admire your compassionate nature Chief, but we have done all we can for those people simply by rescuing them from their captivity and getting them off of that planet."

"We have to at least _try_ and find a decent home for them," insisted Bashir. "I'm the last person in the world to ever admit defeat unless I've exhausted every possible alternative, but we can't simply drop them off somewhere and callously go back to our own home. Even if those people only have a few years left to them, they deserve a chance to live out those years in a safe environment."

"Aren't we already impacting their timeline?" O'Brien wondered curiously. "I mean, we traveled across a doorway between universes and took those people away from the people who enslaved them. We have _already_ changed events that will impact the future of this universe..."

"I would agree," Janeway nodded. "That is one of the reasons I have always hated temporal mechanics. Things can get complicated really, really quickly and historically most trips through time have had a tendency to escalate out of control - even under very carefully monitored conditions."

"You can't possibly hate temporal mechanics more than I do," declared O'Brien firmly.

"We have to stick to what works and what is simple," stated Data suddenly. Internally, his positronic mind was sifting through every bit of Starfleet history he possessed. Through the link he shared with the Janeway hologram, she too was able to monitor his thoughts and thereby allowed her to have a private conversation with him. Some might not have considered covert communication of that sort polite, but Data was already frustrated that O'Brien and Bashir had learned as much as they had. The android remained committed to preventing them from learning enough to destroy their own futures... and eventually his.

"What are you thinking Data?" asked Janeway curiously. She already knew, but was prompting him to include the other two rather than shut them out.

Data was focusing very specifically on the history he remembered from his own 'home' universe. Not too far in Deep Space Nine's future, Captain Picard and the crew of the _Enterprise-E_ would travel to the Gamma Quadrant and raise _Columbia_ from the surface of Benini Five. The mission objective would be to return the previously lost vessel to the Alpha Quadrant, but additional questions would be raised upon discovering evidence of the starship's passage through time as well as space. Data's original ancestor had still been serving under Captain Picard during that mission, so he remembered well those experiences from the 24th century and the subsequent away mission led by Commander Riker to Yadera Prime. There Riker and his colleagues had discovered the final resting place of Captain Hernandez and the surviving members of her crew.

Riker had returned with the bodies and described the Yaderan people as peace loving and extremely resentful of the Dominion presence on their world. Despite extreme risk to themselves, the Yaderans had offered food and shelter to Hernandez and her crew while protecting them from a Dominion presence that - at the time - knew nothing of humans. Tossed across time and space during _Columbia_'s trip through the Vryke's wormholes, Hernandez and her people had crashed their starship on Benini Five, a planet half a galaxy away from home. Since the NX-02 had left its own time and emerged in Riker's recent past, he had clearly indicated in his log that he had hoped to find living survivors. His final report however, submitted to Captain Picard and then forwarded on to Starfleet Command, had stated very specifically that the survivors of the crash living on Yadera Prime had passed away extremely young, primarily due to...

"...radiation poisoning," said Data with complete and utter positronic astonishment. By android standards, he was completely overwhelmed with the sudden realization creeping into his thoughts. Despite his electronic 'excitement', he remembered to shield his next words from O'Brien and Bashir. He accessed his neural link with Janeway and quickly made use of it. _In our history, the_ Columbia _survivors on Yadera Prime die at a young age as a result of radiation poisioning. Supposedly they received a large dose of it during their brief visit to Questar while fighting to free their ship of alien influence. Their condition was reported to be a direct result of the leakage permitted by the lack of modern bubble shielding while in the vicinity of a large gravity well... injuries sustained due to the antiquated hull polarization process used in the 22nd century._

Janeway raised an eyebrow of surprise in response to his unspoken message. _Some of this isn't sounding like a temporal incursion any longer_, she responded. _It's beginning to sound like_ these _people rescued from_ this _universe end up in ours - on_ our _Yadera Prime. If that is indeed the case_...

_...then we are dealing with a classic 'pre-destination paradox'_, decided Data. _We were apparently supposed to be here... supposed to travel to this universe and destined to rescue this particular NX-02 crew. That rescue appears to be a part of our own history, indicating that at least some of the Overseer's intrusions would be also. This is extremely enlightening and explains several unanswered questions that Commander Ducane and I have been researching_.

Captain Janeway's expression remained somewhat stunned. _But if_ this _Captain Hernandez and her group of radiation damaged survivors end up on _our _Yadera Prime, then where the devil do the survivors from our _own_ universe end up?_

_That is an excellent question Captain Janeway_, decided Data. _Unfortunately I do not have an answer for you at this time_.

Less than a second had passed since Data had trailed off and initiated his private conversation with Janeway. "Radiation poisoning?" O'Brien repeated inquisitively. "What about it Data? What's going on here?" He glanced with puzzlement first to Janeway and then to Bashir.

The android turned and regarded the Chief thoughtfully. "There are various theories regarding parallel universes and how all of those alternate realities are connected." He paused just long enough to let the others digest his statement before continuing. "Some postulate that there is one 'original' reality and that all of the others are merely copies. Other hypotheses have indicated that each of the many thousands of alternate realities we have proven to exist are - in essence - a completely functional alternate reality. Each is a unique and individual universe much like our own... where some things are similar and others substantially different."

"I've been to one of them," Bashir reminded all of them. "Two now, actually. And trust me, they are _real_ enough. I almost died during my first crossing."

"The differences have historically been extremely difficult to study," continued Data. "For example, how do we know that an entire universe surrounds this Gamma Quadrant? Perhaps only a part of our own reality has been replicated here. Such a concept is doubtful, but an entire scientific study would have to be conducted first in order to determine whether or not my theory is accurate or simply nonsense."

"There _must_ be significant differences," insisted Janeway. "Even if there is too many of them to study, we can tell a lot by observation alone." She waved a hand in the direction of the cockpit windows. "If many of those alternate realities are so similar to our own, then where were all of the other _Yellowjacket_s while we were exploring the Zygopterran home world? We were there for over _half_ a day and no one else showed up through any of those other portals."

"Time may run more slowly or more quickly in many of them," Data offered in terms of an explanation. "Or the Overseer has already successfully dealt with opposition from them. We have confirmed that he is not breaching their subspace boundaries all at once."

"Without proof, those theories are as useless as your first theory about a partial universe," Janeway shrugged doubtfully.

"I'm getting a headache," decided Bashir.

"So what do we do?" O'Brien asked Captain Data curiously. "What is our next step?"

Data responded by turning the _Yellowjacket_ away from the planet and applying enough impulse thrust to accelerate rapidly away from the destroyed world. "We are leaving," he announced to his three colleagues. "We are going back to the Zygopterran home world where I plan to use their gateway system to leave this universe and return to our own. And make no mistake... we are bringing everyone - including the NX-02 survivors from this reality - along with us."

Seconds later, the runabout accelerated back into warp.

* * *

Gamma Quadrant, Yadera Prime, Stardate 42723.1:

(Approximately Ten years before discovery of the Bajoran Celestial Temple)

* * *

Tharrien, the Executive Administrator to the Chief Appellate of Yadera Prime, was an elderly female with the first beginning streaks of gray. She wore her long hair up... in a tight twisting bun at the back of her head along with a trio of decorative spikes poked through it in a unique, simple feminine display that was very popular within her gender. Other females passing by wore their hair similarly, although some chose to display considerably more of the lancets piercing their bundled hair. The men preferred a variety of stylish hats, and - like her - all of them were very proud of the long traditions their culture had embraced. Pulling the traditional, soft white robe of her uniform tighter around her, she clutched the large, polished brown prayer beads encircling her right wrist tightly while braving the chill, evening air and nonchalantly returned to her small home near the edge of Caylen... the capital city. The sun was still bright but no longer overhead, rapidly descending toward the distant horizon. It would soon be nightfall.

The Administrator had lived in Caylen her entire life, and since her parents had also devoted a lifetime of service to government, it had not been at all surprising to anyone when Tharrien chose the same career path. It was quite probable that she would soon ascend to Chief Appellate, their world's highest position of authority. The current leader of their people was extremely old and wracked by massive political dilemmas and the stress and anxiety that accompanied them. The ongoing presence of occupying Dominion forces continued to be a severe burden on her people, and everyone expected him to step aside soon... perhaps within two or three seasons. Simple necessities of living such as food and fresh water were always scarce, especially in the larger towns and cities. Nevertheless her people and their leaders had pressed onward with their lives, determined to keep the very vibrant Yaderan culture alive. They passed on their traditions and values to their young children, committed to preserving their way of life for the future - especially the day when the hated Dominion would finally be gone.

Sighing heavily, Tharrien stood silently for a moment, deep in thought. She was grateful that the day's work in the Capitol was finally finished and that she had a few brief hours to spend by herself. Fatigued from an earlier, seemingly endless Parliamentary debate, she opened the cooling unit in her kitchen and removed enough food for a small, simple evening meal. There was also a pitcher of cold, fresh water inside and she poured herself a glass and drank thirstily. Her thoughts remained fully focused on the problems plaguing her people - most of them caused by the brutal, intimidating Jem'Hadar soldiers who remained on Yadera without permission. She continued sipping at the cold water as she began cooking, lost in deep thought, on this particular night when her entire world changed in the space of a heartbeat.

She was familiar with transporter technology, having witnessed the Jem'Hadar making use of it on numerous occasions. Still, the sight of the bright emerald transporter beam caught her completely by surprise. An odd-looking humanoid with pale golden skin and yellow eyes appeared in the center of her living room as the sparkling green energy rapidly dissipated. The alien was wearing an unfamiliar gold and black uniform, and he attempted to smile reassuringly at her. After decades of working with people, Tharrien was an expert at reading expressions and she was instantly certain that this particular person was not used to displaying emotion... especially the positive kind.

"Greetings," said the newcomer somewhat awkwardly, sounding much friendlier than she would expect from an unannounced intruder. "My name is Data."

"What is this, some sort of ridiculous joke?" asked Tharrien, her expression solemn. "Perhaps you aren't aware of this simple fact, but the Jem'Hadar can _detect_ unauthorized transporter beams. I have a lot of hard work to do if I am to continue helping my people, so please _leave_ immediately. I don't _care_ who you are, and after the day I just had your beaming into my home without permission and bringing enemy soldiers to my doorstep is _not_ an event I am looking forward to."

Data moved closer to her, causing Tharrien to take a cautious step backward. The android held up both hands so that she could plainly see that he was unarmed. "I am here because I am badly in need your assistance, Administrator Tharrien," Data stated sincerely. "However, before you can help me we both need to take a short trip."

The woman looked at him with concern and not fright, clearly uncertain what to think. "Why?"

"Because I do not have much time, and if I do not escalate matters you would never believe me," Data told her honestly. "This is a much more efficient method of demonstrating to you just who I am and why I have come seeking your help."

"_What_ is?" Tharrien was clearly growing upset, and mere seconds away from calling the authorities.

"Are you listening Commander?" Data asked.

"_Yes_," crackled Ducane's familiar voice from the Comm-badge attached to Data's tunic. "_We've locked onto both you and the Administator_."

"Then by all means... please energize," suggested Data, continuing to smile in a manner that was most unlike him.

"You can't just..." Tharrien began to say, but the rest of her sentence was lost as both she and Data vanished in a sparkling swirl of green and golden transporter energy...

* * *

...and promptly rematerialized on the time-displacement transporter platform located in the upper, starboard corner of the _Relativity_'s bridge. Tharrien's eyes widened, at first fearful and then calming noticeably as she scanned the sophisticated design of the Timeship's command center and the obvious efficiency of the on-duty personnel. None of them reacted as though anything at all was out of the ordinary, and the Yaderan Administrator found herself briefly overwhelmed by the sight of it all. Thomas Ducane waited patiently next to a bank of brightly lit status consoles, and he too was smiling warmly in an effort to put their newest guest at ease.

"Welcome to the _U.S.S. Relativity_, five hundred years into what will be your future," Data said informatively. He cast a satisfied gaze in Ducane's direction, clearly grateful the Commaner had managed to move the Timeship into the Gamma Quadrant so swiftly.

The elderly politician from Yadera Prime said nothing at first, continuing to admire the sleek, modern design of the starship bridge. She placed her hands firmly on the safety railing bordering the upper walkway and - completely fascinated - studied the intricate map of interweaving lines clearly visible on the large viewscreen below. Lt. Jess Ingram and two other crewmen were working there, busily analyzing the constantly fluctuating flow of time. "You are correct," Tharrien concluded, exhaling softly. "I would never have believed you unless I saw this for myself."

The android reached out casually with his left hand and waved politely in Ducane's direction. "This is Commander Thomas Ducane, my First Officer. He will take you to a conference room and fill you in on the details of our mission and describe in detail just exactly what it is we do here," Data promised. "The Commander will also answer as many of your questions as he can, and after that the two of us will speak further regarding the help I requested from you."

"_You_ need _my_ help?" Tharrien gasped with astonishment, continuing to study the sleek, streamlined bridge's astonishing display of sophisticated technology. "I would think that with this ship and its crew, you would be capable of acquiring anything you want to."

"All actions have consequences," replied Data with conviction. "The things that we choose not to do with this Timeship are as important as the actions we do take. Please, Administrator... allow my First Officer to brief you on the basics of our mission objectives."

"All right," the Yaderan Administrator stated decisively and with a confident nod. "But I have one question for you first, Data. My people are in dire need of assistance due to the Dominion threat that we face each and every day. Please level with me - will my cooperation in this matter help them?"

The command she held over her expression gave away virtually no emotion, something that Data found himself admiring. "Not directly. However, whether or not you choose to cooperate I can guarantee that your planet and its population will be completely free of the Dominion forces occupying it in less than twenty years," he replied truthfully. "There is a brighter future ahead for your people, even though they aren't aware of that yet."

"Then by all means, let us proceed Commander Ducane," announced Tharrien, obviously satisfied and even somewhat enthused by his response.

Ducane courteously ushered the Administrator into the bridge turbolift and the two of them swiftly vanished behind its closing doors. Lt. Ingram watched them leave and then ascended the small flight of stairs leading upward from the lower, portside so that she could speak privately with her Captain. "I take it this isn't a casual visit," she decided dryly.

"No, it most certainly is not," confirmed Data. "I located a report written by an alien scientist on the Preserver network, and am in the process of utilizing my neural link to download additional, specific details regarding the Overseer into the _Relativity_'s main computer. If even a portion of what is contained in that electronic document is true, our entire way of life is in extreme jeopardy."

A wry smile crossed Ingram's attractive features. "Just another day at the office," she replied casually, handing him a data padd with specific temporal details listed in order of importance. "From what we've been able to determine here, you and your allies are faced with an extremely complex mixture of temporal incursions and at least two or more pre-destination paradoxes. Did you know that our history files actually contain a _record_ of this Overseer incident? An unknown alien entity matching its modus operandi is clearly documented as having attacked Deep Space Nine less than two weeks after your initial arrival in the past."

Data swiftly analyzed the information listed on the padd. "I am aware of the incident you are referring to," he acknowledged. "It is one of the reasons why I personally wanted to go back and spend time on the station among the people living there... to evaluate matters firsthand. For some odd reason, Commander Sisko neglected to include specifics in his report describing that attack. Additionally, somehow it appears as though many of the station's sensor logs were mysteriously deleted as well. According to the Commander's official station log, significant quantities of an unknown radiation generated by the alien entity disrupted most of their key systems. He lists that as the most probable cause of the missing data."

Ingram chuckled lightly as she listened.

"What?" Data asked innocently.

"Missing data? Certainly you of all people can recognize your _own_ design in all of that," she told him bluntly. "I think it's quite probable that you and Sisko will _agree_ on that specific resolution to this crisis... wiping away all the evidence once the shooting stops to further protect the timeline."

"Are you complimenting me or making fun of my efforts to preserve history?" Data asked, clearly puzzled. "It is difficult to tell with you sometimes Lieutenant... your personality is extremely diverse."

"It's a little of both, actually," Ingram admitted with light laughter before her expression once again turned serious. "Captain, this Overseer is _really_ dangerous... it appears to be disrupting time and space, but at a _specific_ real-time point in both."

"I concur," agreed the android Captain. "Its existence is located primarily outside of space/time, and whenever it enters a universe the results of its incursions are completely unpredictable. Some of them disrupt the normal flow of time or other local physical laws, while others appear to be completely harmless. The creature experiments and manipulates objects and life forms within each until it obtains what it craves the most - gravitons. It has gotten extremely efficient at what it does." He returned the data padd to her, a slight frown crossing his features. "I will be in Sickbay, Lieutenant, speaking with our Doctor about current treatments available for long-term Berthold radiation poisoning. Please contact me as soon as the Commander finishes debriefing Tharrien."

Ingram watched him enter the turbolift with a concerned smile. "Aye, aye Captain."

* * *

Several hours later both Data and Tharrien met once again on the bridge of the _Relativity_. The Yaderan Administrator appeared significantly more relaxed - a stark contrast from the woman who had been caught completely by surprise during her initial, unexpected abduction. The experience had been similar with O'Brien, Bashir and then finally Sisko. And yet the experience that Captain Data and his crew had acquired during their battle against the Sentinel was clearly showing this time around. They too were much more at ease and able to focus on their jobs. Ducane and Ingram were trained professionals now, passing on their experience to the fresh-faced crewmembers who were constantly receiving assignments to serve aboard the well-known Timeship.

"All right Captain Data," said Tharrien clearly an authoritatively. "What can a humble servant of the Yaderan government do that will help a Timeship commander?"

"I need _three_ favors," responded Data, holding up his fingers for emphasis. "The first is that you grant sanctuary to seventy-three humans that I will transport into your city. And do not worry, your earlier fears about our transporter technology are unwarranted... even the Dominion cannot detect us."

"Only seventy-three?" The Administrator seemed perplexed. "I had expected something major was in the works, based on your decision to bring me into your loop on all of this... _this_." She waved a hand toward all of the Starfleet personnel manning the fully operational _Relativity_ bridge.

"Something major _is_ unfolding around us," insisted Ducane. "These people crossed into the Gamma Quadrant by accident and must be shielded from the Dominion. History shows that they lived out the remainder of their shortened lives in peace on your planet, and if they do not do so then both your future and mine could change for the worse."

Tharrien nodded respectfully. "I will speak with a man named Polius upon my return. He is the head of the ministers in Caylen city's religious order and has covert access to the members of our underground." She noticed Ingram's obvious interest at her statement. "The Jem'Hadar are extremely ruthless in their pursuit of any who resist them," she offered in terms of an explanation. "Therefore we regularly have to smuggle many of our people - along with their loved ones - into a new life. If we didn't take such drastic measures, those who are branded criminals by the Dominion would be tortured and eventually killed." Her determined gaze shifted almost immediately back to Data. "Now then... what else would you ask of me?"

The android Timeship Captain handed her a data padd. "There are schematics for a stone marker on this device," he informed her. "Once humans find a permanent doorway to your Gamma Quadrant - something that will occur much sooner than you think - I need you to place this at _Columbia_'s crash site on the fifth planet of the Benini system. It is a marker that will eventually lead humans to your world, and you must place it near the bodies that you will find buried there."

Tharrien studied the schematic curiously, noting the familiar design of her own solar system etched into it. "My world is _that_ close to the crash site of your missing starship?" she mused thoughtfully. "And what should we tell the humans from your Federation when they do show up... surely you don't want me to tell them the _truth?_"

Data reached out and tapped a key at the base of the data padd, pulling up a new file containing text summarizing William T. Riker's report of his conclusions after meeting with the Yaderan people. "The printed information will be my third request... you are to tell them _this_," he indicated, pointing to the text on the small device's display. "The words have been translated into Yaderan to make things easier for you."

There was a long pause as Tharrien took the time to read through the information Data had included for her. "I shall do as you ask," she promised firmly. "If the information Commander Ducane showed me regarding the Federation war against the Dominion is accurate, then it is obvious your people will pay a truly heavy price for _our_ liberation. Which means this is truly the _least_ that we can do in exchange for the freedom we crave so badly." She studied the android's blank expression carefully, attempting to size him up. "How do you _know_ that you can trust me?" she asked with definite interest. "How can you be certain that I will keep your secret?"

Data responded by glancing toward Jessica Ingram. "We don't take unnecessary chances, Administrator. You are in the future, and history has already _shown_ that we can trust you," grinned the Lieutenant, folding her arms confidently.

Tharrien tucked the data padd into a pocket deep in the folds of her white robe. "Then let's get on with this," she declared emphatically. "Return me to my home. You will accompany me, Captain, and once it grows dark I will take you to a location where it is safe to transport your seventy-three refugees." She glanced at him with an amused smile. "You can, I am hoping, return us to the same location and the precise moment we left?"

"Of course, Administrator," said Data with a distinct note of pride, waving graciously toward the transporter platform. "This is, after all, a Timeship."

Commander Ducane caught his Captain's arm before Data could follow Tharrien. "I'm still a little confused Captain, because clearly you're making some of this up as you go. Once you finish placing the refugees from the alternate universe with Tharrien in the Gamma Quadrant on _our_ Yadera Prime... well, what happens after that?" he asked, clearly intrigued.

"The next step will be to take the _Yellowjacket_ back to Benini Five so that I can rescue the surviving _Columbia_ crewmen and women from our universe," the android responded, displaying a small, satisfied smile upon observing Ducane's reaction. "They are scheduled to crash only hours after I return, and the _Enterprise_ mission found no trace of their prolonged presence on that planet."

The Commander remained skeptical. "And then?"

"And then I will evaluate the situation further and decide what to do next."

Ducane stood there, for a moment, mulling over Data's statement. He finally concluded that this was one of those rare occasions when he simply could not tell whether or not the android was joking.

* * *

True to her word, Tharrien met with Polius - head of her religious order - as soon as nighttime arrived in Caylen city. The two of them eventually led Data to a very large basement in an old Church, and the android Captain nodded with satisfaction as he surveyed the arrangements that had hastily been made. "This place of worship is in the midst of one of the poorer sections of the city," Polius informed Data. "The Jem'Hadar never come here... they are more interested in the areas of our world where there are politicians to intimidate or valuable resources to steal."

"This will do perfectly Polius," decided Tharrien gratefully. "There is plenty of room here and even more in the neighborhood homes surrounding us." She glanced expectantly toward Data. "Captain?"

The android touched his Comm-badge with a wry smile. "Chief O'Brien, please energize," he ordered.

"_Aye sir. Stand by_."

Seconds later people began appearing around them, a dozen at a time. Six successive bursts of swirling, emerald transporter energy rapidly filled the room with a large crowd. Immediately they began to talk amongst themselves hesitantly, in low voices filled with concern. Everyone grew quickly silent when one, final burst of sparkling energy materialized into the familiar form of Erika Hernandez. Many among the battered crew from the alternate universe's _Columbia_ settled down immediately, obviously reassured by her presence. Their expressions of relief plainly demonstrated that their mistreatment had not been easy to endure over a prolonged period of time.

"Your crew is liberated... free of captivity and of slave labor Captain," Data informed Hernandez. "The Yaderan people will look after you and keep you protected, even though this planet itself is not completely safe."

"I don't know how to say thank you," Erika Hernandez replied with a wan smile. The skin on her face was wrinkled, fatigued and worn from countless days of slavery under the Overseer and from the large amounts of radiation present on the Zygopterran home world.

"A simple 'Thank you Captain' will be sufficient," suggested Data. "We are, after all, colleagues in Starfleet. Even if separated by time itself, it is our duty to look after one another."

"Thank you _Captain_," emphasized Hernandez, her emotions controlled as usual. Even so, she impulsively pulled the android close to her and hugged him tightly. "You have helped me salvage the dignity of the people under my command," she whispered softly in his ear. "My gratitude reaches far beyond what I can manage to put into words." She turned away from him then and looked toward the expectant faces of the NX-02 crew. "We are finally _free!_" she told them enthusiastically, and cheers of delight along with applause erupted suddenly from the newly gathered crowd. "The heavens have smiled upon us on this day, and we _are_ free!"

Tharrien's commanding gaze met Data's. "I am assuming that the medicine in the kit you gave me will ease their pain and the other symptoms caused by the radiation that these people were exposed to?"

"It will," he confirmed softly. "They will resist after seeing the poor and down trodden living in this neighborhood, thinking it is medicine also needed by your people. However, the drug I gave you has been custom designed by my Doctor to treat their specific condition. If they do not accept it willingly, mix the proper dosage in with their food." Data bowed with deep respect. "You have my sincere gratitude, Administrator," he said. "My thanks to you and minister Polius for accepting these people - it probably sounds ironic, but I simply do not have the time to find them another home."

"Good journey to you Captain," replied Tharrien with a warm, confident smile.

Data's smile this time looked much more comfortable. Clearly the android was pleased with the situation, and he activated his neural link with the cloaked, orbiting _Yellowjacket_. He vanished in a blaze of green and gold transporter sparkle, leaving behind seventy-three very cheerful Starfleet crewmembers.

* * *

Gamma Quadrant, Near the Benini System, Stardate 42723.9:

(Approximately Ten years before discovery of the Bajoran Celestial Temple)

* * *

Floating freely in empty space, the four members of the _Yellowjacket_ crew waited patiently. The runabout was hovering near the ghostly blue, flickering entrance to a subspace wormhole. Sensors continued to indicate that the gateway leading back to the outer edge of the Alpha Quadrant remained stable, so Data was content - for the moment - to simply lean back in his chair and observe history as it unfolded. During times when there were no temporal incursions to investigate, a meticulous study of Starfleet history was - after all - one of the _Relativity_'s primary objectives.

"How long until they arrive?" asked O'Brien curiously.

Data glanced down briefly at the vessel's chronometer, which had been reset to match the current timeframe. "Less than three minutes now, Chief."

Behind them, Doctor Bashir was just as excited as O'Brien. "I still can't believe this," the Doctor grinned with obvious enthusiasm. "We've all _read_ about the mysterious disappearance of _Columbia_, and yet I never would have believed that I would one day have an opportunity to actually see first hand what specifically happened to it."

The sensor console continued to chirp electronically as it monitored the emissions coming from inside the wormhole. "This is unlike anything I've ever seen," commented O'Brien idly. "The gravity on the other side of that tunnel must be astonishing to behold... even here the graviton count is off the charts."

"Questar M-17 is an interesting exception to the norm," Data agreed. "Whatever happened to cause the star's collapse took place many thousands of centuries ago, leaving behind only a massive, dead planetoid. The radius of that planetoid is a small fraction when compared to the original star, so the matter comprising its remnant is incredibly dense. That is the primary source of its immense gravity well, which is more than likely superseded only by that of a black hole."

"And that is where this Vryke creature lives?" asked the Janeway hologram.

"Yes," Data told her. "Eventually, your living counterpart and the crew of _Voyager_ will defeat it, but not before the Vryke wreaks havoc on many worlds." He paused politely, his positronic mind busy evaluating a considerable amount of sensor telemetry. Abruptly the sensor indicators all began flashing bright red, and almost simultaneously a warning klaxon bleeped for attention.

"Something is coming through," grinned an elated O'Brien, glancing expectantly at Bashir. "This _is_ history Julian... and it's unfolding right before our very eyes!"

* * *

_The danger to the starship _Columbia_ was far from over._

It took Sheila Wakefield several minutes to analyze the star alignment surrounding them as they exited from the Questar wormhole. Upon completion, the obviously rattled Lieutenant had informed them that they were in the Gamma Quadrant, over 85,000 light years from their previous location.

"You've got to be kidding me," Hernandez replied with a scowl. Reading the expression on Wakefield's face quickly changed her mind.

The Captain was left with little choice. Opening her communicator and contacting Lt. Andrews in the armory, she promptly ordered him to torpedo the exit point from the second sub-space rupture. Closing it gave them a reasonable chance at permanently trapping the Questar entity back in its long-term prison, and the current status of both _Columbia_ and her surviving crew left her with very few alternatives.

Once the wormhole was closed, Hernandez returned her attention to the young science officer. "Find us an 'M' class planet or moon... the closer the better," she ordered. Wakefield nodded as the Captain moved to stand beside Lt. Matthews. "As soon as you have coordinates, take us to maximum warp... without escape pods, we're going to need a crash site."

Matthews nodded in acknowledgement. The sound of the warp engine had changed from a confident moan into a tortured howl. Thick white smoke was leaking from virtually every crevice in the metal plating that covered the core, and both Captain and the people around her knew that _Columbia_'s chances of survival in space were decreasing by the minute. The sound of stressed, fatigued metal had not diminished despite the abrupt lack of gravity surrounding them upon their re-emergence into normal space... the damage to the starship's vital superstructure had already been done.

* * *

"They did a nice job with those photons," commented O'Brien. "The wormhole entrance was completely disrupted and has since collapsed completely. I'm also reasonably certain that the chain reaction carried all the way back to Questar." He double checked the sensor console. "In fact, I'm certain of it."

"Where is _Columbia_ now?" asked Bashir with distinct interest.

"They're flying blind... probably stunned to find themselves so suddenly in the Gamma Quadrant."

"As with most Starfleet personnel, Captain Hernandez and her crew are quite adept at adapting to rapidly changing circumstances Chief," noted Data. "In a moment, their Science Officer will pinpoint Benini Five as the closest M-Class world, and history will happen just as it was meant to."

"Will it?" wondered Janeway. "We've just taken away Yadera Prime as their eventual place of refuge."

The android nodded, acknowledging her statement as a legitimate point. "I am convinced that at least a part of this crisis is in reality what we refer to as a 'pre-destination paradox'," he informed them. "That is, we were meant to be here, we were meant to battle the Overseer in order to protect our timeline, and we were meant to bring back the _Columbia_ refugees from the alternate universe."

"How can you be so _damned_ certain?" Bashir wondered skeptically. "If we made the _wrong_ choice..."

"I am confident in my analysis, which is backed up by a report originally filed by Commander Riker from the _Enterprise-E_," Data told him, much more bluntly than he had intended to. The android evaluated the weight of his words and discovered that there was a distinct lack of certainty in the matter - something his positronic mind was unused to. His inability to locate additional evidence and remove all doubt was generating a great deal of electronic frustration and anger from his emotion chip.

"What did Commander Riker have to say?" asked Janeway, allowing the android to pause long enough to control the electronic stimulation in his neural net and regain his composure.

"In his report, Riker expressed extreme disappointment upon discovering that all of the refugees from _Columbia_ had died young. Since their journey to the Gamma Quadrant also brought them forward through time, he had expected to find them alive and well... not long since dead from radiation poisoning. Bringing their remains home to the Alpha Quadrant was the only option left to him, and he reported fulfilling that duty with a great deal of sadness."

"So you're convinced that we were _meant_ to be here on this mission, and that Riker and his team actually found the Starfleet crew we just beamed down to Yadera Prime?"

"I am," declared Data with conviction, watching _Columbia_ leap back into warp as it altered course and moved toward the Benini star system. He accelerated the cloaked _Yellowjacket_ to follow. "However, I am willing to acknowledge that tampering with history is an extremely dangerous and unpredictable business. That is why most intelligent species that possess the necessary technology choose instead to avoid time travel altogether."

"Sometimes you can't," Janeway noted irritably. "Sometimes it is just... unavoidable."

They continued to watch as _Columbia_ reached the Benini star system and decelerated to sub-light velocity. Before their very eyes, the starship dropped precipitously into the atmosphere of the fifth planet and then descended completely beneath its cloud cover. The four of them watched the beleaguered starship on sensors the rest of the way down, until it finally crashed on the surface of the planet and came to a gradual stop. For several long moments no one said anything, and the _Yellowjacket_'s cockpit was filled only with the sound of active sensors continually beeping in response to updated information. Data had slowed the runabout and matched the starship's course into the star system, and he swiftly entered the console commands that were necessary to assume a standard orbit over the Benini Five planet.

"We will give them until nightfall to recover from their experiences," the android announced. "Once they have settled down, we will enter the atmosphere and approach them." He paused, his mind filled with dozens of possibilities. "And then we shall see what can be done for _these_ people."

* * *

Nearly five hours after _Columbia_ crashed on the surface of Benini Five, Captain Erika Hernandez stood silently on a low hill watching smoke continue to drift high into the sky from residual fires that were still burning within the starship she had been so proud to command. Surrounding her, the seventy-two additional surviving members of her crew continued to work steadily, stacking supplies and setting up temporary shelters. The residual, late evening heat left over from the long desert day was fast beginning to cool, and before long Erika suspected that the surrounding environment would grow extremely cold as the planet moved even closer toward its night time. Already the dark orange rim of the sun was dipping below the horizon, and an eerie twilight covered the land.

Commander Andrew Strong, _Columbia_'s Chief Engineer and personal friend, had died shortly after the crash. His last act had been as heroic as so many of his others - he had been one of the few who had chosen not to brace themselves, but instead had chosen to stick by the engineering console. At great risk to himself, he had diverted their remaining impulse power so that he could use it to preserve the starship's inertial damping and structural integrity fields until those precious last few seconds. By doing so, Strong had kept them all alive until injuries received from the violence of the impact had stopped him from continuing with his duties. He had been thrown across engineering into a bulkhead and suffered severe internal injuries... Dr. Petroyko had been left with no option other than to make him comfortable during his last moments.

Five others had died along with him, and the Captain had stood over all of their bodies for quite some time in silent prayer. Eleven of her people had now been added to the Vryke's growing list of victims, and Hernandez's thoughts continued to blaze with anger at the utter malevolence and hostility demonstrated by the strange entity. She was a kind and compassionate woman at heart, and that was why she was so angry... at the creature and at herself. Since assuming command of the NX-02, the Vryke was the only alien she had encountered that had made her _want_ to kill. She hoped the creature was dead and that it would never bother anyone else again, but unfortunately the reality of the situation was that it quite probably had survived. According to their telemetry, it had simply dropped back into the gravity well at Questar to wait, another eternity if need be, until it was discovered again.

She watched Lt. Joshua Andrews, Ensign Henry Maxwell and Lt. Sheila Wakefield emerge from under the NX-02's port nacelle. To her each person's specific rank didn't matter any longer, since the _Columbia_ looked to be a total loss. Without impulse engines the starship would never again attain orbit. Even worse, without the matter/anti-matter engine core they would never be able to travel faster than light and leave the solar system. The entire crew was trapped on a planet with a harsh desert environment and nearly one and a half times normal Earth gravity. Life for their foreseeable future looked to be difficult... many challenges lay ahead.

"We've finished burying them Captain," said Andrews with a great sadness in his eyes. "If you'd like to say a few words..."

"I've already said my good byes to them," replied the Captain, continuing to study the damaged hull of her starship in the fading daylight. "Each of them already knows what is _here_, in my heart." She clutched her hands close to her chest and turned to study his face. "And it's okay to call me Erika now Joshua," she told him. "If we're going to have to live on this damned purgatory that we've been banished to, I don't think we're going to need a 'by the book' approach any longer. What we are going to need is determination, and a lot of it."

Wakefield stood next to Andrews, leaning on a shovel with one arm as she wiped sweat from her forehead with the other. "How are the others?" she asked curiously. "Rivers and Biggs?"

Hernandez nodded and smiled. "They're all doing well," she replied gratefully. "Karyn is confident that we've gotten all of the bumps and bruises patched. Your two friends from engineering are going to be just fine, so why don't you three get something to eat and then help the others start fires. I have a feeling that it's going to get pretty cold out here tonight." She pulled her jacket tighter around her shoulders as the evening chill continued to strengthen noticeably with each passing minute.

They nodded and moved past her to join the others. Erika stood watching the internal fires within her starship continue to slowly burn down. Then she turned finally to join the rest of her crew as they continued their efforts to build temporary shelters using the emergency supplies that they had salvaged from _Columbia_. Together they all worked quickly and efficiently for several more hours, throughout the rest of the late evening and into the early morning of the next day. Once their breath began to mist noticeably, they tossed down their tools and seated themselves in front of their survival tents. Between blankets and campfires, they managed to keep themselves warm and the mood of everyone was surprisingly light. The survivors were quite obviously very grateful to be alive.

"With a little hard work, we'll be able to work with the 'B', 'C', and 'D' decks aboard _Columbia_ and over time restructure them into permanent living quarters," suggested Lt. Andrews. He casually tossed a small piece of debris into the camp fire burning in front of him, listening to the snaps and pops from the burning wood. "I think they'll be too hot to use during the daytime, but they'll give us plenty of shelter during the cold nights ahead." He picked up a leg from the pile of wood they had made from broken furniture and studied it. "Where we're going to get a permanent supply of wood for fire, however... that remains to be seen."

"Long term survival out here is definitely out of the question," Wakefield agreed. "We're too exposed. And where we're going to find food on this rock - much less water - well, I'll believe there actually is some when we find it."

Hernandez smiled, tossing an MRE-pack across the fire. "One step at a time please," she said with a chuckle. "Since we have the time, I think we should consider redecorating the bridge too. Perhaps we can knock out the ceiling and turn it into a greenhouse... we definitely won't have a shortage of sunlight. That small garden in chef's mess hall is going to have to go a lot farther after today."

Andrews smiled at Wakefield. "We've got lots of drilling equipment that survived the crash," he told her. "If there's water anywhere in the vicinity we'll find it, not to mention underground soil for growing Chef's fresh tomatoes."

Henry Maxwell nodded enthusiastically. "I heard a couple of the engineers talking while they were getting their injuries treated," he grinned. "Petroyko was splinting an arm and the two of them were already arguing about how they're going to get at least one of the shuttle pods functioning again. So far, at least morale isn't a problem."

"A working shuttle pod would help matters considerably," acknowledged Hernandez. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I didn't exactly have time to sight see on the way down."

Wakefield laughed, and a few minutes later Dr. Karyn Petroyko joined them, bringing along a jug of water and several mugs. She poured everyone a cup and the surviving members of _Columbia_'s command crew toasted their new future while chatting pleasantly for another half hour or so. Then they slowly retreated away from the fires and into the tents that they had set up, bedding down for the night and going to sleep. Since their handheld scanners revealed no life forms at all in the immediate vicinity, no one even considered the option of posting a guard.

* * *

Hernandez woke later in the night, uncertain as to just how much time had passed. At first she thought that someone next to her might have been snoring, but a faint rumbling was now identifiable in the far off distance, continuing to grow louder very quickly. She tossed aside the sleeping bag that she had covered herself with earlier and unzipped the entrance to her tent. Stepping out into the desert's night time, she noticed that the sunrise was still at least a few hours away. Except for the ring of portable emergency lighting they had rigged around the camp perimeter, the area beyond remained totally shrouded in pitch black darkness.

_But there was the definite sound of an engine, up in the sky high above them, roaring very perceptibly as it rapidly closed in on their position from the South._

Erika reached back inside the tent, pausing just long enough to retrieve a phase pistol before walking farther toward the edge of the camp. Whatever was causing the sound passed by overhead very quickly leaving a behind only a dull, distant rumbling. Obviously its pilot was flying at a very high altitude somewhere in the planet's atmosphere. Whoever it was had not exceeded mach one, since the sound barrier had not been broken. Hernandez was still listening, trying to guess more precisely the object's speed and direction when a hand unexpectedly touched her shoulder.

"_Damn!_" she shouted angrily, flinching in startled surprise as Lt. Andrews appeared suddenly next to her. "Don't _do_ that to me Joshua!" She shook her head grimly for a moment, her eyes blazing. Then she calmed herself and noted the expression on his face despite their dimmed, makeshift night lights. "You heard it too?"

"Yes," he replied as several more of the _Columbia_'s crew began to emerge from their tents.

They paused for a few minutes, listening together as the sound of the roar gradually began to build in crescendo. Whatever had passed over them had obviously turned around and was on its way back toward them. The distinct beep of Joshua Andrews adjusting his phaser setting to stun caught Hernandez's attention.

"Friend or foe?" Erika asked with a sharp smile as they waited, their breath causing clouds of mist to appear in the camp lighting each time they exhaled. If the temperature hadn't dropped below zero degrees centigrade, then it was damn close.

"We're in the Gamma Quadrant," her tactical officer responded. "So who the hell knows what to expect while we're here..."

The approaching aircraft had dropped significantly lower, its altitude decreasing rapidly as the thundering sound of its engines continued to rise to the point where they had to shout to hear each other. Above them, a medium-sized shuttle of some sort appeared out of the darkness and floated slowly toward them, its primary engines cutting back suddenly and dropping the noise level back to normal. The strange, alien ship hovered above them, its small maneuvering thrusters hissing as it maintained position halfway between the wreck of _Columbia_ and the tented camp they had built on a large hill beyond. Several of the crew had flashlights with them and pointed the beams upward, hoping to get a better look at the strange intruder that had awakened them during that difficult first night.

The alien shuttle had lights of its own, and several powerful beams focused downward, one of them aimed at the array of tents. The other focused first on the growing crowd of crew members and then moved to center on Captain Hernandez and Lt. Andrews. Both of them were standing farther out from the tents with their weapons held ready. Seconds later, an unexpected emerald glow appeared out of nowhere and surrounded the two command officers. The pair vanished in a blaze of glowing energy that lit up the night for several hundred yards in all directions. Lt. Wakefield was standing several steps behind them and witnessed the entire incident.

_Just like that, the Captain and ship's tactical officer were gone._

* * *

Captain Data made certain that Janeway, O'Brien and Bashir were closest to the transporter pad when Erika Hernandez and Joshua Andrews materialized. He was fully aware that his gold skin and yellow eyes - the customary appearance of a traditional, Data-Class android - might startle even a trained tactical officer. The last thing he needed within the _Yellowjacket_'s passenger cabin was phaser fire, especially considering that the refugees from the 22nd century were still probably on edge due to their recent adventures.

"_Easy_... take it easy...!" said Janeway sharply, holding up a hand as Andrews spun toward her. The _Voyager_ Captain had moved in front of the others because she knew full well from years of experience with her own ship's Doctor that a phaser hit would have no effect on a holographic image.

"You're _safe_... we are also from Starfleet," Bashir told them reassuringly.

A brief silence ensued as both Hernandez and Andrews scanned the small runabout cabin and its crewmembers, sizing up their situation. Lt. Andrews continued to hold his phase pistol ready, just in case. "_How_ can you be from Starfleet?" he snapped suspiciously. The Lieutenant was clearly doubtful and more than a little emotionally frayed after the earlier, non-stop events of his day.

"It's a very long story," O'Brien confessed. "But if you're patient and willing to listen, I think that we can help both you and the rest of your crew still stranded on that planet."

"You're _humans_, aren't you," said Hernandez, stepping forward and putting a hand on the side of the Chief's face. O'Brien found himself blushing a little and took a slight step backward from her. "Joshua, these people are humans... just like we are."

"Not exactly like you are," Data decided, stepping forward. "Some of us are quite different, in fact."

"Who are you?" snapped Andrews, still holding his weapon ready. "Someone from this quadrant?"

"My name is Captain Data," replied the android politely. "And I am very pleased to meet both of you..." He extended a hand of friendship toward Erika Hernandez. "My colleague is quite correct. If you are willing to listen to what we have to say, your situation should improve significantly."

"If it gets us off that damned planet, I'm willing to listen to anything at this point," Hernandez decided. "Joshua, please put down the weapon... they could have killed us down there, you know."

Slowly and cautiously, the _Columbia_ Lieutenant obeyed. "All right, but don't blame me if they start experimenting on us," he said rather sarcastically.

* * *

Preserver star cluster 112, Council of the Elders, 5.2 million years in the future

* * *

Commander Frank Roberts returned to the common living area he shared with the other members of Starfleet to find Jean-Luc Picard and Charles "Trip" Tucker already present, sharing a private conversation. The pair smiled in welcome as the android entered the room and waved him over. "We were just talking about you," said Picard with a smile. "How was your Council meeting Commander? I trust things are going well."

"Things are progressing extremely well," Roberts announced. He studied Picard's features carefully and noticed that - although the Captain looked normal enough - Kirk had been right to point out that his older counterpart was beginning to show signs of fatigue adjusting to their busy life in the Preserver future. Jean-Luc Picard looked like a man who badly needed some time off, and Roberts remained determined to insure that his colleagues didn't burn out due to a massive work schedule. He badly needed their help, especially on a long term basis, if the Federation was to continue occupying one of the coveted seats on the Council of Elders.

"We're... well, we decided that we're _done_ for the day," declared Trip with his usual, cheerful smile. "Our work isn't completed yet, but we decided that we needed some rest. Before he left, Captain Kirk called it 'taking some time to sharpen our saw'." The former NX-01 Commander shrugged his shoulders and chuckled. "I guess he figures you've got us in the woods somewhere, cutting down trees."

"Captain Kirk has an assignment very similar to Jean-Luc's duties," Roberts reminded Tucker. "However, they generally work on a rotating schedule so that we can maintain an around-the-clock approach. I visited with him several days ago, and he was quick to point out that the tasks assigned - from a human point of view - are proving to be quite taxing for the three of you."

"We're managing," said Picard confidently. "We think it as important as you do to maintain a permanent Federation presence here in the distant future. It's the best way I can think of to guarantee that someone like the Sentinel never gets another Council position."

"I had intended to request additional assistance from the Council," admitted Roberts. "In fact, I even promised Captain Kirk that I would add that item to my agenda for the meeting that has just concluded." He smiled mischievously at the two of them. "But the universe around us works in mysterious ways, and I ended up deciding not to submit that request."

Despite his earlier confidence and bluster, Picard's eyes widened with sudden surprise. "_What?_" he snapped sharply. "You had the _opportunity_ to ask for additional manpower on this team and you chose _not _to do so? You may be an android, Commander Frank Roberts, but the rest of us... well, we're only humans you know..."

"I know," said Roberts pleasantly. "I chose not to submit the request because I finally heard from Captain Data. And I have what I hope will be an impressive surprise for all three of you."

Trip's expression was painted with suspicion. "Oh?" he asked curtly.

The android responded by activating his neural link with the Preserver network. He used it to locate Captain Data's identification code and accessed the subroutine that the _Relativity_ commander had left 'waiting' for him. A complicated series of connections within the network located Captain Data in the distant past and linked the Preserver main computer in the future directly to him. As soon as a reliable connection was established, the subspace network's transporter system kicked in. As Picard and Trip Tucker watched in astonishment two people materialized in front of them inside a blaze of green and gold energy. Tucker's jaw dropped as he immediately recognized the female.

"Captain Hernandez," he gasped in shock. "How did _you_ get here?"

Erika and her tactical officer quickly scanned the room, but her attention refocused almost immediately on Trip. "How did _you_ get here?" she asked him, responding to his question with one of her own.

Tucker chuckled with mild amusement. "Now that isn't fair Captain. I asked you _first_."

"What is going on here?" asked Picard curiously. He had been reclining in one of the room's comfortable chairs, but he leaned forward and stood up immediately at the unexpected sight of the two newcomers.

"I have recruited additional delegates to assist us with our work here," announced Roberts boldly. "There are seventy-one additional Starfleet crewmen and women - originally from the 22nd century - waiting to transport through time and space and join us."

Picard was clearly dubious. "Why?"

"Because time has made them refugees, and they have no other place to go," Roberts informed him. "And because, as you have so bluntly pointed out Jean-Luc, we desperately need the assistance."

"Talk about your eye opening experiences," decided Trip with a grin and a disbelieving shake of his head. "This has to take the cake. If someone had told me earlier today that this evening would end on a happy note, I'd have called them a liar. But they didn't and it did anyway."

Eagerly, he went over to Captain Hernandez and hugged her, offering a warm welcome to the _Columbia_ commander and her tactical officer. Then the five of them sat down and began to talk. Their conversation and exchange of stories lasted well into the early morning hours of the next day.

Frank Roberts left them for a brief time, making certain that living quarters were properly assigned and ready for all seventy-three of the newcomers. Then he personally verified that the rest of Erika Hernandez's people were safely transported into the future.

Amazingly, in one day the Federation delegation to the Council of the Elders had increased from four people to seventy-seven. Roberts re-initiated his link to the network one final time and left a brief text message for Captain Data. The next time the _Relativity_ Captain decided to log in and check his trans-dimensional in-box, he would find two simple words waiting for him in a message from his friends living in the distant Preserver future...

_Thank You._


	11. The Enterprise Incident

**DISCLAIMER:** _The following is fan fiction utilizing events and characters from the "Star Trek" television series. It is fan fiction only... there is NO intent here to collect income or infringe on the trademarks, copyrights, or patented work of others. Please DO NOT use this material for anything other than pure reading enjoyment. If you have been missing at least occasional new "Star Trek" episodes in your life, this is the place to come._

* * *

**Star Trek: Reign Of Terror**

**Chapter XI: The _Enterprise_ Incident**

* * *

Deep Space Nine, Commander's Office, Stardate 48251.2

* * *

Benjamin Sisko awoke with a start, his command instincts warning him instantly that something was not quite right. He was lying on the bed in his quarters, having permitted himself a brief catnap before returning to Ops. Early on in his career he had tried what most cadets often felt was best - long term avoidance of sleep. But the Commander had observed firsthand over the years just how much a person's good judgment could suffer from a prolonged period without proper rest. Most of his colleagues who chose that option ended up addicted to stimulants... or worse. Ever since several of his best friends had gone through long periods of rehabilitation, he had made it a priority to take the time necessary to refresh both body and mind with regular sleep intervals. He didn't always get as much rest as his body preferred, but Sisko made certain that he got at least _some_.

The Comm-badge attached to his uniform tunic chirped for attention a second time, and the Commander realized abruptly just what had awakened him. Reaching across the bed he touched the badge lightly. "Sisko here," he replied while still struggling to dissolve the final remnants of his recent slumber.

"_Commander, you'd better get up to Ops right away_," suggested Kira Nerys. "_The_ Enterprise _has arrived and Captain Picard would like to speak with you_."

"Acknowledged," replied Sisko tersely, groaning with frustration as soon as the transmission terminated. Rising from the bed he quickly donned the heavy jacket that comprised the upper part of his uniform. He glanced out the window and visually verified that a sleek, streamlined Galaxy-Class starship was indeed parked alongside one of the upper docking pylons. Sighing heavily as he accepted the inevitability of the unexpected situation, the Commander double tapped his communicator - the precise, preset signal that the internal 29th century enhancements within the device were waiting for. "Sisko to Ducane," he said, utilizing his usual, deep baritone. "Come in please."

It took a bit longer than he expected to connect through time and space, but his colleague from the future finally responded. "_Ducane here_," said the familiar voice. "_What can I do for you Commander?_"

"The _Enterprise_ has shown up... _here_," stated Sisko informatively. "Which means the _real_ Lt. Commander Data is also here and we have a problem."

"_I am already aware of the situation Commander_," Ducane informed him.

"How?"

"_Your holographic counterpart contacted me the moment they docked_," chuckled the _Relativity_ Commander. "_Fortunately, he doesn't require sleep and appears to have retained your initiative_."

Sisko's anxiety did not decrease upon hearing the news. "Odo and Eddington will both be eager to..."

"_I suggest that you ignore your security personnel for the moment and proceed directly to Ops Commander_," suggested Ducane. "_According to our latest analysis of the constantly shifting timeline, there was an 83% chance that the _Enterprise_ would eventually show up there... our Mr. Data currently does not plan to return unless he has no other option. I sincerely believe that you will find matters are already reasonably under control. Since Captain Data is currently here in the Gamma Quadrant with me, there is absolutely no danger of a double sighting. However, I am sending Jess Ingram to your location, and she will assist you with the successful resolution of this potential problem_."

"The Gamma Quadrant... what the devil are you doing over there?"

"_It's a long story_," said Ducane honestly. "_We're almost finished here providing support to the Captain, and once we're done I'm under orders to bring the_ Relativity _directly to you. We'll remain cloaked and on standby to help keep matters under control until the situation there returns to normal_."

"I'm not certain I know what _normal_ is any longer," growled Sisko irritably as he moved toward the small bedroom exit. "Can I have my Doctor and my Chief of Operations back yet?"

There was a pause before Ducane responded. "_Negative. The Captain is busy addressing matters in the Gamma Quadrant and needs to conduct a follow up investigation. He would like your two specialists to remain with him and the_ Yellowjacket _until he is satisfied that the situation here also returns to normal_."

"Wonderful," Sisko decided disappointedly as the doors sealing his quarters snapped briskly open. "I'm on my way to Ops now... please keep me informed if anything further develops."

"_We will_," promised Ducane. "_And we've got a surprise for you once we arrive. With assistance provided from your crew, Captain Data was able to rescue_ all _of the people missing from your sector. They will be returned to the Alpha Quadrant in short order_."

"That's the best news I've heard in quite some time," admitted Sisko.

* * *

Deep Space Nine, Cargo Bay Two, Stardate 48251.3

* * *

Dressed in a 24th century Starfleet uniform, Lt. Jessica Ingram materialized inside one of Deep Space Nine's partially stocked cargo bays. Immediately she flipped open her tricorder and began scanning the space station, noticing as she did so that a great deal of the gravitational equipment temporarily seized from the docked ships had already been relocated aboard the station. Much of it had been stacked and organized in the large area of space surrounding her. With all of the extra personnel still busy working in and around the station, it had been difficult for Ducane to find an abandoned spot for her to appear. Patiently, the two of them had been waiting for an opportunity to present itself, and eventually they had succeeded. But on-duty personnel would no doubt soon be back to work in the well stocked cargo bay.

Like the _Yellowjacket_, Ingram's tricorder appeared at first glance to be a 24th century design but actually contained significant additional 29th century technology. She easily made use of its capabilities and accessed the guest manifest stored within the Ops main computer and verified that only Captain Picard and Commander Riker had boarded the station... so far. Swiftly Jessica pinpointed an external trio of Starfleet workers assigned to the upper docking pylon nearest the _Enterprise_.

The three men were busily working with welding tools to install a new phaser array and - as usual - had temporarily rerouted some of the main power used by the pylon's docking systems in order to avoid frying themselves during the process. Using her tricorder to interface with the new weapons system she randomly scrambled its software hopelessly beyond repair, making certain that there was no detectable pattern to the temporary sabotage. She knew Data-Class androids extremely well, and it didn't take much to make them extremely curious. With luck, she hoped fervently that she had done enough damage to intrigue an android without also making him suspicious.

If he hadn't come aboard Deep Space Nine along with his Captain, then she figured that the most likely location of Lt. Commander Data would be the bridge of the _Enterprise_. Closing her tricorder to temporarily shut down its electronic functions, she exited from the cargo bay and smiled sweetly, blending in easily with the people passing by in the crowded, adjoining corridor.

* * *

Kira was the first person in Ops to receive the bad news. "_The entire programming database for this phaser array has been scrambled_," signaled the Starfleet Lieutenant in charge of the installation. "_I was certain that we had shut down all power from your fusion reactors prior to connecting the new hardware, but it looks like we must have touched something live. The entire storage unit will have to be wiped and its programming reloaded_."

"That's the way things work out sometimes, Lieutenant," replied Major Kira coolly. "Your crews are still well ahead of Starfleet's projected schedule. Considering that most of you are working outside the station in a zero gravity environment, I would classify this as a minor setback. Unfortunately we've had these types of problems before with the considerable output generated by our reactors, and I'm certain we'll have them again." Her eyes were fixed on the monitor in front of her and its close up display of the docking pylon, where three men in EVA space suits crowded around the area containing the damaged equipment.

"_At least I didn't cook one of my men in the process_," growled the Lieutenant. "_Although I respectfully request permission to move on to our next assignment... we can come back to fix this array later. Unfortunately, I didn't bring a copy of the software along with us_."

"Permission granted," acknowledged Kira with a smile. "I'll log it as one of today's problems, and a backup crew will be along eventually to remedy the situation."

"_Thanks Major!_" the Lieutenant replied gratefully, his voice crackling from mild distortion even across the short transmission distance from pylon to Ops. "_We've got a full day ahead of us_."

Jadzia Dax smiled at her colleague. "New day, new laundry list," she commented idly.

Kira shrugged her shoulders dismissively. "Considering how many phaser arrays and photon launchers these people were assigned to install, I'm astonished that they've made as much progress as they have. This station's power systems aren't exactly known for their reliability, after all."

"I'm receiving an incoming hail from the _Enterprise_," noted Dax. "It's Lt. Commander Data."

"Go ahead Commander," said Kira cheerfully. "This is Major Kira Nerys in Ops."

"_Forgive me for interrupting your busy morning_," the android began apologetically. "_I have been monitoring all communications in the immediate vicinity and have therefore heard about your problem with the phaser array. If you upload the software files needed by the Lieutenant's work crew directly to me, I will conduct a brief EVA mission of my own and resolve that problem for you. Utilizing my unique ability to interface with Starfleet hardware, I can have the unit back up and operating within an hour_."

Kira was tempted to decline the offer, but cast a wary glance first in Jadzia's direction. "He is offering to knock one of the _many_ problems off our list for us," Dax pointed out. "And unlike the rest of his crew, Data doesn't require shore leave. Without Chief O'Brien around, I say we take him up on that offer."

"Stand by to receive our upload," Kira responded after evaluating Dax's advice. "And thanks much for the assist, Commander."

"_You are most welcome_."

The Major found herself mildly amused by Data's infamous, overly polite android nature. "I see that you decided to bring the entire _Enterprise_ crew along with you this time," she commented casually.

There was a brief pause while Data - knowing nothing of his 29th century counterpart's earlier arrival and thereby completely puzzled by her statement - tried to analyze what he deemed to be her odd humanoid attempt at 'small talk'. "_Yes, my crewmates generally go where I go_," he answered hesitantly.

* * *

Jessica Ingram had seated herself at one of the private, two-person tables near Quark's bar and was quietly sipping at one of the Ferengi's bright red, fruitier concoctions. Using a small, sophisticated receiver concealed in her right ear, she was also monitoring the local communications traffic. When she heard Lt. Commander Data officially offer his assistance to Major Kira she cheered silently. _Gotcha!_ She thought triumphantly to herself. _I definitely know how Data-Class androids think... even the original. In fact, I could probably teach a comprehensive seminar in positronic psychology by now!_

She carefully surveyed the customers seated around her to make certain that no one was watching, and then reached inside her pocket and activated the 29th century Comm-badge concealed there. She was also keeping an eye on the Sisko hologram, which had chosen to project an alternate image of a male Yridian. It was a perfect choice really, since the species boasted a considerable number of free traders and its people were commonly seen frequenting Deep Space Nine. Most in the commercial merchant business simply could not resist the many attractions available at Quark's bar... especially his many Dabo girls.

"You're all set," Ingram stated softly but surely in the general direction of her communicator. "Lt. Commander Data will _not_ be returning to this station any time soon, _unless_ of course the _Enterprise_ is ordered back here. You have one hour to interact with security before the original Data completes the EVA 'assignment' I created for him."

The Sisko hologram sent back a silent vibration through the Comm-badge to acknowledge receipt of her signal, and then hastily left the Promenade. One of the many Ferengi working for Quark stopped by briefly - just long enough to leer distastefully at Ingram and refill her drink. Jessica nodded gratefully toward him, keeping most of her attention focused on the crowded Promenade. She almost laughed out loud mere moments later when the Sisko hologram came walking back out into the crowd looking very much like Lt. Commander Data from the starship _Enterprise_. He cast a quick, confident glance in her direction before moving directly toward the security office. Inside she could see Michael Eddington still busy discussing matters with Constable Odo. The holographic simulation of Data paused briefly in the doorway and was quickly invited in.

_So far so good_, decided Ingram silently.

The _Relativity_ Lieutenant double-tapped the Comm-badge concealed in her pocket and carefully whispered the word "Sisko". Leaning back and taking another sip of her beverage Ingram adjusted the small receiver in her ear to directly access the real Benjamin Sisko's Comm-badge. He was in the middle of a meeting with Captain Picard, after all, and she needed to know what was going on in there.

* * *

Deep Space Nine, Conference Room, Stardate 48251.3

* * *

Jean-Luc Picard studied the impassive, confident face of Commander Sisko curiously. As had been his case during his first visit to Deep Space Nine, he knew very little about the man in charge of the Cardassian space station. The Admiralty of Starfleet Command, however, had a lot of faith in Sisko and that was one of the primary reasons why the _Enterprise_ had specifically been diverted from its normal patrol route and ordered to provide direct assistance. News of the alien penetration through subspace was spreading rapidly, and Starfleet Intelligence officials felt the need to act quickly in order to avoid a massive, public panic.

"Have you managed yet to communicate with this alien?" asked Commander Riker curiously. He was sitting to the left of Picard, leaning back in his chair so that he could relax his broad shouldered, muscular body. "What does it want with us, besides our deck plating and graviton-based generators?"

"We don't know for certain," Sisko replied thoughtfully, although he hesitated to speculate. "This alien is unlike anything we've ever encountered. It appears to have no physical body and is capable of breaking through subspace wherever and whenever it chooses to. Whether it lives within subspace or somewhere else..." He shrugged indifferently. "We have managed to interact with it both verbally and telepathically on several occasions. Usually the conversation is one way - the creature presents its demands and then attempts to use force against whoever it is speaking with unless they comply."

"Well, your recent lockdown on merchant traffic in this sector has proven to be an extremely effective tactic," Picard nodded approvingly. "There have been no further attacks in the surrounding territory, and no additional missing persons have been reported over the past twenty-four hours. You have definitely gotten your opponent's attention, and that will likely put your crew's safety in jeopardy."

"Deep Space Nine has undeniably become the primary focus of the alien's attention," agreed Sisko. "My staff can vouch for that... we're still busy repairing several of the consoles in Ops after its most recent attempt to _speak_ with us."

"You're going to have to communicate more directly with the alien if you expect to accomplish anything significant," pointed out Picard. "Admiral Nechayev has ordered the _Enterprise_ to provide all necessary assistance to you regarding this matter, but from what I've read in your report it doesn't sound as though you're doing much of anything to contact it." The Captain held up his hands and waved them somewhat helplessly. "You're not simply waiting around for another attack, are you?"

"_No_," snapped Sisko instantly. "I most definitely am _not_ Captain." Normally his subconscious would have returned immediately to the Wolf 359 incident and the battle against the Borg, but on this day the Commander found his thoughts more refreshingly focused on the matter at hand. Over the years he had gradually learned to deal with the residual anger and other emotions created by the traumatic encounter. He was pleased to discover that not even the presence of Jean-Luc Picard could trigger a resurgence of those old emotions. "You will note in my report that we encountered a Zygopterran insectoid on Denali Prime, which has proven to be our best lead so far. I left a team in the region to follow up on the creature and its determination to steal our Delacon-G. Once they report in I expect to know more. I have also ordered my Ops staff to begin working on a way to add an anti-graviton field into our shield matrix."

Again Picard nodded approvingly. "Once you've completed a prototype, we can send the design schematics to anyone in the region who has been visited by this... alien being. I'll have my Chief Engineer work with your people... he's quite an innovator with technology developed on the fly."

"It would be an interesting experiment to try leaving a deliberate gap in that field," suggested Riker. "If we could force the creature to appear in a secured location of our choosing, it might be possible to communicate more effectively with it." Looking toward the room's viewscreen, he studied a detailed sensor graphic of a subspace rupture and the graviton tendril extending out of it. "Although how the devil we're supposed to _negotiate_ with something like that..."

"The creature manipulates gravitons whenever it shows itself," Sisko informed them. "It craves them, since their use is the only way it can rupture subspace and appear in our universe. It also has a very specific agenda, and has been able to interact directly with people living in this area and arrange for the shipment and delivery of a great deal of equipment. It can make people rich if they successfully provide the things that it wants, or punish them at its whim when they fail. In all probability, the alien is merely seeking to perpetuate its own existence. But its methods have so far indicated to me that there is the distinct possibility that the creature possesses a much larger, dangerous plan. It certainly does not understand the sanctity of life in the same manner we do."

"It understands more than you think it does," Picard decided wryly. "The alien knows how to take advantage of greedy merchants, and that in exchange for wealth they will give it anything it wants. It has obviously learned how to keep a low profile to avoid attracting the attention of law enforcement" He studied Sisko curiously. "_Why_ aren't you more worried about this situation Commander?" the Captain asked inquisitively. "If I were in charge of this station - and responsible for the safety of all of the people living aboard it - I would have my men searching every nook and cranny and busily looking for clues. I would actively seek out people who have already met with this alien in order to learn precisely how to more effectively contact and interact with it. Have you attempted yet to track the creature's movement through subspace?"

"My security team is top notch," Sisko replied firmly. "Once we have an anti-graviton enhancement added to our shield grid, we will be able to take Commander Riker up on his suggestion and communicate with the alien on our terms. In the interim I have chosen to let my people conduct their own investigation as they see fit." He waved a hand toward the star lit windows behind them. "Do not forget, we have a major weapons upgrade in progress. There are currently more Bajorans and humans on board this station than at any time in our short history here. That's a lot of innocent people in the way if we get into another shooting war."

"What more can you tell us about this team you left behind on Denali Prime?" Picard leaned forward intently. "What have _they_ learned about all of this?"

The Commander had thought about this precise situation quite a bit since Captain Data's initial arrival. He had already made up his mind to keep the 29th century android's secret, but at the same time Sisko was not prepared to lie to seasoned Starfleet officers. Such a move could land him in a brig somewhere rather quickly and potentially spoil an otherwise promising career. However, even though he had already thought the matter through meticulously, he still chose his next words very carefully. The business that he had become involved in was a most complicated matter, and one wrong sentence could easily wind the entire situation into a twisted, tangled mess.

"I have not heard back from them yet," the Commander admitted reluctantly.

"If you're not in regular communication with them, how do you _know_ they are succeeding... that they don't require additional help?" wondered Picard. "How can you possibly monitor their mission from here, Commander?"

"I have _many_ contacts within the demilitarized zone and in the surrounding area... people who regularly keep me informed as to what is going on there," replied Sisko forcefully, conveniently leaving out the fact that at least _some_ of those allies were officers from Starfleet's future. "I _trust_ those people to let me know if my team gets in any trouble, and we have the _Defiant_ at our disposal in case we need to provide additional support." He returned Picard's steady gaze honestly, without the slightest hesitation or trace of doubt in his chosen tone of voice. "Everything that can be done is currently taking place, both here on Deep Space Nine and there... within the demilitarized zone."

The only regret Sisko truly had was his failure to bring Lt. Dax and Major Kira into the meeting. Even so, his decision to exclude them remained solid and he refused to second guess himself. There was simply too much risk of them mentioning the earlier visit of a Data-Class android to the space station. In fact, the Commander was completely convinced that Captain Data's carefully thought out plan was in grave danger of completely unraveling so long as the _Enterprise_ remained in the immediate vicinity of Deep Space Nine.

"I'm not certain that I concur with your assessment of this situation Commander," Picard stated firmly.

"I would be surprised if you did, and am always open to suggestions." Sisko shrugged his broad shoulders and smiled. "I am also well aware that you outrank me Captain, and that you command a powerful, mobile starship. If Starfleet decides that you should take over the investigation of this matter - which is currently an internal Deep Space Nine affair - then I will certainly yield to your authority... albeit rather reluctantly."

"I don't think that will be necessary," the Captain mused thoughtfully. "However, we should at least..."

In front of them, the viewscreen bleeped suddenly for attention and switched instantaneously to a visual of Major Kira. "_Ops to Sisko_," Kira stated with her usual vigor. "_I don't mean to interrupt your meeting Commander, but we've just received an incoming transmission from the governor of Denali Prime. Apparently, he wants to lodge an immediate, formal complaint with Starfleet Command_."

"Oh?" the Commander replied curiously. "Why would he want to do that?"

"_It seems as though over three thousand people suddenly appeared out of nowhere within Azimuth city limits_," she reported with a light chuckle. "_Somehow the Alpha Quadrant civilians who were abducted in recent weeks have all been returned to us. For now they're all stuck on Denali Prime, and our good friend the Governor has a definite refugee problem on his hands_."

"Thank you for the report Major. We'll add this item to our discussion. Please keep us apprised of any further developments."

"_Aye sir_." The viewscreen darkened instantly as Kira terminated the transmission.

Sisko swiveled back to face Picard. "I believe I have just heard from my team in the demilitarized zone Captain Picard, even if they didn't send me an actual message. They have just succeeded with one of their primary mission objectives, and those rescued people present at most a minor problem that I believe _you_ can help me deal with."

"The _Enterprise_ is a big ship, but even we can't carry over three _thousand_ passengers," Riker objected almost instantly. "We'll have to recruit additional vessels... quite a few of them in fact."

"Why not use the ships currently docked _here_ at Deep Space Nine?" suggested Sisko. "I've spoken with many of the Captains in the past day or so, and a majority of them are bored with the inactivity. If we can convince them to temporarily transfer their regular cargo here, then their ships would be perfect for a rescue operation." He smiled confidently. "That will allow our work crews to complete their work on the station's weapons upgrades and allow me more time to attempt a diplomatic resolution, all while we continue to deny our mysterious assailant access to the equipment that it so desperately wants."

Picard massaged the tip of his chin thoughtfully. "Under the circumstances, prudence would seem to dictate that any rescue effort should be accompanied by a military escort," he admitted. "Although if the _Enterprise_ leaves this area - even on a temporary basis - then Deep Space Nine would _still_ be vulnerable and exposed to this alien's attacks."

"No it wouldn't be," declared Sisko firmly. "My Science Officer expects to have the anti-graviton enhancement to our shield grid in place within hours. And in addition to the arsenal we have available to us on board the _Defiant_, over sixty percent of our new weapons systems are already on-line and operational. If your starship can part with a few dozen photon torpedoes to add to the complement already in our arsenal, we _will_ be perfectly capable of defending ourselves from anything except an all out assault."

"What about the Dominion?" wondered Riker curiously. "Do they play a part in any of this?"

"For now the Dominion appears quite content to stay on their side of the wormhole, and the Jem'Hadar who serve them have made it clear with the destruction of the _Odyssey_ that they intend to drive our people back to this side. As each day passes we see more and more of our colonists packing their bags and returning to the Alpha Quadrant. In addition to being brutal, the Jem'Hadar can also be extremely intimidating." He folded the fingers of both hands together and set them on the table. "We have investigated the possibility, and I am convinced that they are _not _involved in this matter."

Captain Picard paused thoughtfully, silently reviewing all available options. "We have clear orders from Starfleet to patrol this area until the crisis is resolved," he pointed out. "So I don't see any problem with using the _Enterprise_ to coordinate the relocation of those abducted people." He held up a stern finger in warning. "But if you should find out anything _new_ regarding this creature and its ability to attack ships and planets, I expect to be updated immediately."

"Of course," replied Sisko, privately relieved at Picard's decision. "Lt. Dax will provide you with a deployment schedule that we often share when other Federation starships patrol the DMZ. In addition to Denali Prime, it lists the inhabited solar systems that we cannot quickly reach using the _Defiant_. If you add those areas to your patrol pattern, we can still cover most of this sector."

The three of them stood and nodded respectfully at one another.

"I'll contact Lt. Dax as soon as I return to the bridge and download your schedule," Riker promised.

"Safe journey gentlemen," stated Sisko crisply with deep sincerity. His regret at having to withhold at least some of the truth was genuine. Having walked in Picard's shoes for the past few years, Benjamin Sisko now understood more than ever how much the burden of command could affect a man.

* * *

Still seated in Quark's bar on the Promenade, Lt. Ingram casually brushed aside several of her stray blonde locks and continued to sip her fruity cocktail. She was busily recording all of the transmission activity crisscrossing the immediate area surrounding Deep Space Nine. Even so, as soon as the meeting between Sisko, Picard and Riker concluded she retuned the receiver in her ear so that she could hear what was going on in Odo's security office. Her table was situated in a convenient spot that allowed her to easily observe the Constable and Michael Eddington while they conversed with the individual whom they believed to be Lt. Commander Data from the starship _Enterprise_. As was the case with the real Commander Sisko, the hologram's mobile emitter contained a sophisticated 29th century Comm-badge that permitted her access to eavesdrop.

"..._unfortunately my starship obligations have taken priority over my earlier assignment here_," the Sisko/Data hologram was telling Odo and Eddington. Mild distortion clouded the voice that sounded exactly like Data's until she finished properly adjusting her receiver. "_Captain Picard ordered me to return immediately, so the _Yellowjacket_ and I managed to rendezvous with the _Enterprise_ just prior to its arrival here at Deep Space Nine._"

"_What about Doctor Bashir and Chief O'Brien?_" asked Odo, his tone almost demanding. "_If you've been reassigned, then _where_ are they?_"

"_They are still following up on several leads in the demilitarized zone_," replied the holographic Sisko/Data. "_There is no need for undue concern, since the_ Enterprise _will remain in the vicinity until this matter has been resolved. I am still assigned to remain in contact and assist you, but will be working now primarily from my starship_."

"_We need to learn how to communicate more effectively with the alien life form_," suggested Eddington. "_It is still quite possible that it has never intended to deliberately hurt anyone_..."

Odo harrumphed loudly in response, obviously surprised by the Starfleet security Commander's stance on the subject. "_The people who are_ dead _would probably disagree with that assessment Commander... if they could_," he stated rather bluntly. Eddington bristled noticeably but said nothing.

Again the Ferengi waiter appeared in front of Ingram and once again refilled her tall glass. "Would you like something to eat, _hu-mon?_" the strange, large-eared creature asked her. "In addition to frosty beverages, we boast the sector's most wonderful menu. It contains many delightful, hot or cold items with which to tempt your palate."

Ingram shook her head and irritably waved him away. The Ferengi shrugged his small shoulders and gave her a sharp-toothed smile. He wandered over to the three aliens at the table behind her, casually checking on their food and beverage status as he completed his circle through the occupied tables. The _Relativity_ Lieutenant continued listening to the conversation in the Security office while opening her tricorder and activating it. Most of Quark's Starfleet customers were usually off duty ones, but the crowd on the Promenade was used to seeing Federation personnel working overtime - especially now with so many upgrades to the station's exterior in progress. She therefore considered the activity to be a low risk action, and sighed with relief now that the 'Data situation' appeared to be under control.

"The situation _is_ under control... at least for the moment," she stated emphatically to herself, keeping her voice low enough so that no one could hear her complain. Her attention became so focused on the task at hand that she didn't even hear the meeting between Odo and Eddington conclude. It was only when the Sisko/Data hologram appeared in front of her and sat down at her table that she glanced up with startled surprise.

"Greetings," the Sisko hologram said in a voice that perfectly matched Data's.

"You _shouldn't_ be here," Ingram snapped sharply at him. "At least not looking like _that_ anyway."

The expression on the hologram's face was dark and serious. "How else can I help?"

"Stay sitting right where you are for another minute and continue shielding me from the crowd," replied Ingram, her attention focused on her tricorder. She continued tapping commands into the small device, and as she did so its electronic whirring steadily increased. "Earlier, I accessed the station's records and noticed that several vessels passed through the wormhole yesterday... on their way back to the Alpha Quadrant. If there are enough residual neutrinos drifting around outside the station, I might be able to create another 'assignment' for the _Enterprise_ Data to handle. Both you and the real Benjamin Sisko have covered for my Captain's activities rather cleverly, but we still face potential problems if _Lt. Commander_ Data shows up here on the station. All someone has to do is ask him the wrong question..."

"You mean someone like the Constable?"

Ingram smiled and nodded. "Exactly... he's as suspicious and thorough as his Starfleet file indicates. We've got to keep Lt. Commander Data on the _Enterprise_ if at all possible." Jessica finished compiling her new tricorder program and promptly activated it, linking its output directly into the nearby Galaxy-Class starship's main computer. "This kind of thing is always a bit tricky because I have to manipulate their systems without leaving behind any traces of tampering. With an efficient Starfleet crew on board and a main computer constantly monitoring all shipboard functions, that's an extremely difficult thing to do... even with 29th century technology." She continued working with the tricorder for another few minutes and then smiled with satisfaction. "_There_... it's done!"

The holographic image of Sisko/Data promptly stood up to leave. "I think it's time for me to get out of here," he decided. "It's quite probable that even during a short visit, others from the _Enterprise_ will no doubt show up on the Promenade."

"If you want to continue monitoring the crowd, by all means do so," Ingram told him. "Just make sure you change your appearance back to the Yridian. That image is undoubtedly your best bet when working undercover."

"Where are you headed?"

"Back to the _Relativity_," Jessica informed him. "I have to check in with Commander Ducane and give him a current update regarding the situation here." _And unfortunately, I also have to let him know that Michael Eddington is quite probably dead_, she thought silently to herself, remembering the distinct quantum flux her tricorder had detected in the RNA sequence of the man who had visited with Odo. _And that he has undoubtedly been replaced with an alternate Eddington who was transferred over from a mirror universe_.

* * *

_U.S.S. Enterprise_, Engineering, Stardate 48251.4

* * *

"Commander LaForge, may I please speak with you a moment?" Reginald Barclay paused next to his superior officer, waiting patiently while Geordi carefully studied the readouts on the central computer display. The familiar, constant thrumming of the warp core continually resonated throughout main Engineering and around the two of them, but not quite loud enough to interfere with their normal speaking voices.

"This doesn't look right," LaForge commented idly, sighing with frustration and peering more closely at the statistics listed on the screen in front of him. "In fact, it looks screwed up." He turned toward Lt. Barclay, peering through his electronic visor at the other officer. "What do you need Reg?"

Barclay handed him a data padd. "I would like to officially let you know that the dilithium matrix alignment is... uhm... all screwed up," he stated matter of factly. "Apparently, uhm... there are too many residual neutrinos drifting around outside the ship. They were most likely created by the wormhole traffic through this area."

"I thought we _compensated_ for that," snapped LaForge harshly. He scratched his head with puzzlement and then suddenly remembered the primary reason they had stopped at Deep Space Nine. "Is there any unusual graviton activity in the area?" he asked with growing apprehension. "Are we possibly under attack by the creature that attacked DS9?"

"No," said Barclay confidently, shaking his head negatively. "When we noticed the alignment was out of whack, an alien presence was the first thing we checked for. Everything appears to be normal except for the excess number of neutrinos... Deep Space Nine's hull plating may simply attract them naturally."

"Wonderful," growled LaForge irritably. "Just wonderful."

"If you want, I can contact DS9's main Operations," suggested Barclay. "They're probably used to situations like this. I would imagine ships moving through the area near the wormhole encounter this kind of problem all the time. Their compensation parameters would probably..."

"Belay that... _don't_ call anybody just yet," decided LaForge, tapping his Comm-badge and activating it. "LaForge to Data... are you there Commander?"

"_This is Data_."

LaForge smiled, somewhat reassured by the sound of his friend's voice. "Data, have you finished with your EVA work on that malfunctioning phaser array yet?"

"_Affirmative. I have been back on the bridge for half an hour_."

"Excellent. Could you please stop by Engineering for a few minutes and help me recalibrate the dilithium matrix? Apparently a bunch of stray neutrinos from the nearby wormhole have thrown it out of alignment. I don't believe any major ship functions have been affected, but our most recent measurements disagree with Starfleet's preferred tolerances just enough to be really annoying."

"_Did you perhaps forget to compensate for the increased neutrinos while we are in the vicinity of Deep Space Nine?_"

"No!" declared LaForge firmly and actually sounding more than a little bit defensive. "I did _not _forget... but they somehow penetrated our navigational shielding anyway and affected our systems."

"_I will be down to assist you shortly. Data out_."

Barclay frowned and actually looked a bit hurt. "We've all been pretty bored since docking, sir. This Deep Space Nine stop is too quick for any significant shore leave, but just long enough to keep us from starting work on anything major." He waved a hand at all of the talented, gold uniformed people moving back and forth. "We're the engineers, after all, and this is supposed to be _our_ job. We could have that problem fixed for you in less than two hours."

"Data can do it in twenty _minutes_," LaForge pointed out. "I have every confidence in our team's ability to complete a job, Reg. However, Captain Picard will likely return shortly after his meeting with Commander Sisko is finished and I for one would prefer being able to tell him honestly that his ship is in _perfect_ running order."

"Understood," said Barclay with an understanding smile. On this occasion once again, he found himself grateful to be only an _assistant_ Engineer.

* * *

Deep Space Nine, Promenade, Stardate 48251.5

* * *

Worf quickly finished off the plate of live gagh that he had been working on for several minutes and smiled with notable satisfaction. "It has truly been a _long_ time since I had a decent Klingon meal," he pointed out.

Next to him, Karg - the restaurant owner - leaned in closer. "More blood pie?"

Instantly Worf raised his plate. "Please," he nodded enthusiastically. "Believe it or not, I can't even _remember_ the last time I had live gagh... even longer since I enjoyed blood pie!"

Karg grinned and promptly refilled Worf's empty dishes. "For an honorable Son of Mogh, the tab for this meal will be picked up by my House," he declared cheerfully. "However, I have heard that the _Enterprise_ will be departing soon. I am therefore surprised that your Captain granted you the opportunity to share even a quick meal with me." He sat down opposite of Worf and dug a large spoon into the remaining, mealy mixture composing the infamous Klingon 'blood pie'.

"Captain Picard is well aware of the clash of cultures that my service to the Federation often causes," noted Worf as he continued enjoying his hearty lunch. "Being among humans on a prolonged basis is a constant challenge for me, and he is well aware of the sacrifices I regularly make to serve aboard his starship. Therefore the Captain often allows me small favors such as this one, especially since I do not ask for them very often."

"Well I for one am glad that your vessel stopped by," decided Karg. "Matters aboard this station have been very unsettling of late. We face an opponent who can appear at any time and at any place. It attacks innocent civilians without provocation and then slinks back into subspace like a Borellian slug worm."

Worf nodded. "I have heard," he admitted.

"Commander Sisko's people are still cleaning up and repairing main Operations," pointed out Karg. "There were innocent, unarmed Bajorans working there when this strange... dark creature attacked."

Putting down his eating utensils, Worf took a moment to scan the faces of the crowd. He noticed Jake Sisko and Nog passing by, giving the Klingon restaurant a very wide berth. The fear and anxiety in their expressions was plainly obvious. "When even children do not feel safe, _that_ is a problem," he growled.

Karg glanced briefly at the pair of youngsters and laughed heartily, his Klingon chuckle booming above the constant, non-stop din permeating every corner of the crowded Promenade. "Those two are scared of _me_, not any strange, invading alien entity."

"Why would they be afraid of you?" asked Worf curiously, glancing apprehensively up and down the large, bulky frame of the overweight Klingon seated across from him.

"They are afraid that I will give them what I have given you... a free meal!" grinned Karg, folding his arms proudly in front of him and setting them on the table. "When the youngsters become too troublesome here on the Promenade, I give them each a fresh plate of gagh to keep them busy!"

As he imagined non-Klingons eating the live worms, this time it was Worf's laughter that thundered loudly for several moments. "I'm surprised that they even have the courage to show their faces on the Promenade," he commented, clearly amused. "Very few humans can tolerate Klingon food."

"Very few indeed," agreed Karg.

The _Enterprise_ tactical officer found himself unexpectedly caught by surprise as a small hand tugged suddenly on his right forearm. Looking to his right and then downward, Worf noticed the small, petite features of a dark-haired little girl suddenly staring up at him. Her extremely small stature allowed her to move very stealthily through the large crowd.

"Would you like to go to a holosuite and try to _best_ me with a bat'leth?" asked Molly O'Brien curiously in her sweet childlike voice. She had a huge smile on her face and giggled as she spoke the words.

"_Molly_... O'Brien?" gasped Worf as he instantly recognized her. He leaned over and scooped the youngster up into his arms, and she squealed happily with obvious delight. It had been quite some time since he had seen the child that he personally had delivered into the world.

As soon as he heard the girl speak, Karg leaped to his feet and began intensely searching through the crowd of passers by. "If you will excuse me, Worf Son of Mogh, I have a pair of troublemakers to find." He rubbed his thick fingered hands together expectantly. "I saw Jake Sisko and Nog pass by here earlier, and it appears to me as though they are ready for another free meal!"


	12. Where No Man Has Gone Before

**Author's Notes: **_I sincerely hope everyone has FUN with this Chapter! If you've been paying attention, I'm hoping this is unlike ANYTHING you'll find in a bookstore!!!_

* * *

**Star Trek: Reign Of Terror**

**Chapter XII: Where No Man Has Gone Before**

* * *

Deep Space Nine, Commander's Office, Stardate 48251.6

* * *

Benjamin Sisko sipped at his mug of hot raktajino while reviewing Jadzia Dax's latest proposal to enhance their shield grid. The schematics and overall design were her usual precision work, well thought out and carefully put together. He was also fully aware that the Lieutenant knew her limits, and had therefore spent quite a bit of time consulting with the Starfleet engineers currently overseeing the station's weapons upgrade. The assignment that the Starfleet crews were tasked with didn't involve weapons exclusively... their plans also included the improvement of Deep Space Nine's deflector shields as well. Once hooked directly into the output from the station primary fusion reactor, the space station would be virtually invulnerable. Only an all-out attack by an invading fleet would have a chance of breaking through them. This was one of the rare advantages of not being as mobile as a starship - without a warp drive to power, all of the station's available reactor energy could be channeled directly to shields and weapons.

The subspace pocket opened in front of him so quickly that only the hiss of escaping atmosphere pouring into it alerted the Commander to its presence. The room's temperature dropped considerably as Sisko reacted instantly by leaping out of his chair. His hand closed around the handle of the phaser weapon hooked to his belt and he raised it, watching a glittering green graviton tendril whipsaw out of the pocket. It probed the room tentatively, as though searching for something while the rippling subspace distortion surrounding it receded swiftly to a microscopic size. The sound of air rushing out of the room decreased substantially, and Sisko felt a distinct breeze against both neck and arms as the room's ventilation system switched on and immediately began working steadily to replace the lost atmosphere.

In front of him the cord-like graviton fiber lengthened, stretching outward until it finally paused near the opposite edge of his desk. Standing behind the desk Sisko held his fully charged phaser at the ready and watched as the familiar, dark-robed form of the Overseer materialized in front of him. The creature's blazing red eyes glared fiercely in his direction, and he felt the hair on the back of his arms prickle in response to its presence. Clearly the creature generated some sort of energized 'aura' capable of influencing living beings, since the Commander was unused to having emotional and physical reactions while in the presence of alien creatures. The strange entity watched him for a moment, and despite his instinctive urge to shoot at the thing Sisko decided instead to give diplomacy a try first.

"What do you want with us?" Sisko asked curiously.

_"YOU HAVE 26 HOURS - ONE BAJORAN DAY - TO DELIVER **MY** EQUIPMENT." _

Its voice resounded within Sisko's thoughts just as loudly as its spoken words - clearly some form of telepathy was involved in the Overseer's ability to communicate with humanoid species. "Most of the ships needed to carry your equipment to its scheduled destination have left on another mission," the Commander pointed out. "My options are therefore limited."

_"FIND A WAY WITHIN 26 HOURS... OTHERWISE I WILL DESTROY THIS ENTIRE STATION." _

That was it. The creature issued its ultimatum, including the threat of violence. Once its message was delivered the image of the Overseer vanished as swiftly as it had appeared. The glittering green tendril retracted back into subspace and Sisko was once again alone in his office - but only for a brief moment. Mere seconds after the creature's departure, the entrance doors snapped open and Kira, Dax and two security guards entered with their weapons all held ready. Chuckling at their efficiency and determination to assist him during a potential attack, Sisko held up a hand and waved them off.

"It's all right for now," he informed them. "We've been given an ultimatum, however. I hope your new design successfully adds an anti-graviton field to our shields Old Man, or we're in for a rough time."

Lt. Jadzia Dax slung the phaser rifle she held over one shoulder and nodded confidently. "It will work," she promised him. "It took me a little longer than usual to put something together without Chief O'Brien, but the other engineers we have on board really know their stuff. We'll be ready to go very soon, Benjamin."

"I sincerely hope so," decided Sisko grimly. "We have only 26 hours to complete the work."

* * *

Lt. Commander Michael Eddington paused outside of Deep Space Nine's deflector control room and waited patiently. It took only minutes for his sabotage to take effect and weaken the outer hull. His plan had been simple... to locate a hull plate already showing signs of stress, and then heat the fatigued area repeatedly with a hand phaser until the damage became irreversible. The resulting hole was a very tiny one, and yet significant enough for atmosphere to begin escaping. An alarm began sounding in the background and the corridor walls lit up almost immediately with brief flashes of bright red light.

"What the hell is it now?" asked one of the two Ensigns currently manning the deflector control system.

Eddington timed his approach so that he arrived from the adjoining corridor just seconds after the alarm sounded. "Is there a problem Ensign Paulson?" he asked curiously, his emotions masked and unreadable. Although his insides were churning at the possibility of getting caught, he presented himself with a carefully controlled calm.

"Affirmative," nodded the sandy-haired, freckle faced crewman sitting near the main deflector control console. "We have a minor hull breach in an adjoining office... probably simple metal fatigue. It's nothing serious - there have been quite a few of these alarms throughout the entire upgrade process. I'm surprised we haven't had more of them with all the work crews detaching and reattaching things so repeatedly. Occasionally anyone can make a mistake, I guess."

"I'll be glad when this entire weapons upgrade business is over," growled the other Ensign. "I prefer my duty shifts to be quiet and non-eventful." He began tapping commands into his support console. As he did so the Comm-system beside him lit up and flashed for attention.

"_Ops to deflector control. What's going on down there Paulson_?" asked a concerned Jadzia Dax.

"It's just another hull breach," the Ensign told her reassuringly. "A really minor one, in fact. I've already erected a containment force field to seal the atmosphere leak, so everything looks to be just peachy." He leaned back in his seat confidently. "However we will eventually need a repair crew."

"_I'll add your situation to the problem log and bump it up to high priority_," promised Dax. "_However, in the meantime you're going to have to set your controls on automatic and evacuate everybody from that section. There could be additional weak spots in the metal hull plating, and I don't want to take the risk of someone getting injured. The Commander specifically ordered me to make certain that personnel aren't taking unnecessary chances_."

Paulson glanced toward Eddington and rolled his eyes, clearly unconcerned with the matter. "Lieutenant, the containment force fields are in place... I'm certain they will hold."

"_Do you really want to bet your life on that?_" asked Dax with obvious concern. "_How about Ensign Reynolds... is he a gambler too?_" She paused for a moment to let the impact of her words sink in. "_In addition to hull breaches, my problem log is loaded with unexpected power fluctuations and at least three outright _failures_. Right now there are four crews working outside in your immediate vicinity. It will take less than a half hour to reassign a crew to replace the damaged hull section. I'll also request that they run a quick scan of the surrounding area. But you two are ordered to _evacuate_ deflector control _immediately_ until I can certify that your hull breach problem has been resolved_."

Again the Ensign looked with frustration toward Eddington, but the Lt. Commander simply shook his head. "Follow your orders Ensign Paulson," he stated authoritatively.

The two of them set their consoles on automatic, nodded and stood up quickly. "Aye sir," Paulson replied tersely. "We'll go get a cup of coffee or something."

Eddington smiled. "I'll be right behind you," he informed them.

As soon as he was certain that they had left the area, he retrieved a tool kit from a nearby storage locker. Then he opened up an access hatchway near the base of the main deflector control system and went to work. His challenge would be to disable the anti-graviton system, but leave all diagnostic signals operative and indicating that the system was fully functional.

When he chose to attack, all the Overseer would need was a few precious seconds to board the station and disable the system permanently. Eddington chose not to think of what the alien would do to him if he failed with this simple assignment.

* * *

_U.S.S. Yellowjacket_, Location Unknown, Stardate Unknown

* * *

"I don't see anything," noted Julian Bashir, leaning closer to the runabout's windows so that he could peer outside. "We were hovering in orbit of Denali Prime, and then there was a bright flash of some kind. Since then, I haven't seen a single star or planet... they're all just _gone_."

Standing close behind him, Kathryn Janeway leaned closer so she could see too. 'It does look a bit dark out there," she admitted, "but don't ask me what our android friend is up to now. I haven't a clue."

Chief O'Brien was seated opposite them on the runabout's portside. "I have never seen such a pervasive, absolute darkness," he stated with a trace of awe in his voice. "Even our exterior lighting vanishes after only a few meters. I'm usually a pretty space worthy fellow, but even I have to admit that this is all more than a little unsettling."

Dr. Bashir continued staring at the empty void beyond them. "There's nothing out there," he speculated. "_Nothing_. Certainly not anything that could reflect light back at us." His gaze shifted briefly to O'Brien. "Shouldn't we ask Captain Data what he is up to this time?"

"You ask him," sighed O'Brien, taking a deep breath. "It's too soon after our last crisis to begin a new one without taking a break first. I'm still contenting myself with the fact that we got all of our missing people safely to Denali Prime... and we had to cross over into an alternate universe to do it!" He picked up a mug of black coffee - double sweet - and held it up in a mock toast before sipping hot liquid from it. "That's got to count for something."

"There are certainly areas of space without many interstellar objects," Janeway informed them. "But I have never seen anything quite like this. Computer, where are we?"

"_Unknown_," the crisp, electronic female voice responded pleasantly.

"How far does this void stretch?" the hologram of the _Voyager_ Captain persisted with her usual strong-willed determination.

"_Precise distances cannot be measured without the existence of other objects to use as points of reference_," the computer stated. "_Aside from this vessel, there is nothing else detectable within the outer perimeter of our maximum scanning range_."

Several possibilities struck Janeway. "Are we in subspace... some sort of quantum slipstream perhaps?"

"_Negative_."

Julian Bashir started to rise from his seat. "Well my curiosity is burning up," the Doctor admitted. "I'm going into the cockpit and _ask_ the Captain just where exactly it is that we are."

The Janeway hologram held up a cautious left hand and shook her head negatively. "Don't," she said resolutely. "Data left specific instructions for us to remain here until he joins us. I strongly suggest that we obey that order... our job is to provide _support_ for his mission throughout this crisis."

"What if this happens to be a crisis with no immediate resolution?" asked Bashir. "What then?"

"Then I predict both you and I will have a lot of free time," O'Brien chuckled, continuing to stare out the window with an expression of astonishment. "You're right Julian. It's just an endless dark void out there." He glanced thoughtfully toward Janeway. "If I remember correctly, you have a neural link with the Captain's positronic mind," he reminded her. "What is he thinking?"

"I can't tell," Janeway said with a light laugh, seating herself next to Dr. Bashir. "He blocked my access the instant after requesting that we leave him alone in the cockpit. Since I'm a hologram created specifically to assist him, the only reason he would do that is to keep you two from learning more than he would like you to know."

"Well he's got to at least tell us where we are," decided O'Brien. "For crying out loud, if he didn't want us to know then he should have left us with the people we rescued back on Denali."

"It sure is dark out there," decided Bashir.

Together the three of them waited patiently.

* * *

Data almost never sealed the electronic door that protected the _Yellowjacket_'s cockpit, but on this occasion he had chosen to do so. Prior to proceeding with his next planned step - a direct confrontation with the Overseer - he first needed to review a great deal of information. His plans included yet another interface with the Preserver subspace network and a massive exchange of information. During past interfaces, Data had discovered that it was often much easier to obtain the facts he needed by transporting his android body directly into subspace. It was possible that he might need to do so on this occasion, so he obviously didn't want Chief O'Brien or Dr. Bashir observing such an event. Both of the 24th century humans had learned far too much already, and what to do about their growing knowledge of the future was high on his list of issues that eventually needed to be resolved.

The android Captain had leaned back in his chair in an almost restful position, but his positronic brain was running at full throttle. Meticulously his neural net was searching through the Preserver archives, in search of as much information as he could find regarding the mysterious Overseer and his astonishing capabilities. The alien scientist's report had intrigued him, and it puzzled Data that this appeared to be the only major source of information available regarding the alien. Apparently the Preserver race had known about the Overseer's existence for thousands of centuries but had chosen to do nothing, essentially letting the creature slowly but steadily expand its influence to universe after universe.

_Why?_ Data wondered curiously to himself. _If the Preservers truly cared so much about seeding and caring for life in all of its forms everywhere that they journeyed, then why would they simply ignore an entity as dangerous as the Overseer?_

Unexpectedly, an alien presence touched his positronic thoughts in response to his unspoken question. Data recognized the entity and immediately accepted its request to communicate. However, he discovered unexpectedly that his decision to move the _Yellowjacket_ to its current location temporarily prevented him from transporting himself into subspace, so he instead issued a request for his colleague to visit him...

* * *

_A handsome, dark-haired humanoid appeared next to him, smiling in recognition_. **How have you been Data?** _asked Captain Will Decker, formerly of Starfleet. He had lived within the Preserver subspace network for quite some time, ever since he and his crewmate Ilia had merged with the V'Ger computer entity_. **You are searching desperately for information... is something wrong?**

_The android paused for a moment, noticing that his ability to communicate with subspace was improving drastically. His current communication with the Decker entity was the cleanest transmission that he had ever managed to initiate_. **I have discovered an alien entity that calls itself the Overseer. It is attacking my people and interfering with the normal flow of time, **_he explained cautiously._** The Overseer's physical body is massive beyond reason... I have never seen a creature so large that it can encompass entire universes and the subspace between them. Despite the invasiveness of its presence in so many areas everywhere, there is surprisingly little data available to assist me in resolving my conflict with the creature**.

_Will Decker was using an isomorphic projection similar to the process Data regularly relied upon while communicating with his crew aboard the _Relativity_. Decker appeared to be completely human, standing in front of Data with his tall, lean frame and dark wavy hair. The former starship Captain smiled and nodded as he heard the android's words_. **I know of this creature**, _he admitted_. **Many of us have read that very same report you found, but no one wants to try and deal directly with this creature. Unless such a confrontation is handled perfectly, the damage to thousands of universes and surrounding subspace would be extreme. So, we all look the other way and pretend that he is not there. And he continues to grow larger and larger with each moment we delay**.

**But it IS there in front of us for all to see**, _insisted Data_. **The alien known as the Overseer has enslaved, manipulated or killed countless millions in its pursuit of its agenda. Accumulating gravitons and increasing its presence throughout eternity appears to be its primary mission... a very dangerous goal for those of us who are looking to simply SHARE eternity with it**.

_Decker's expression changed temporarily to one of extreme sadness_. **Until humanity discovered our network during the crisis with the Sentinel, I too considered the matter of the Overseer to be a problem without resolution**. _He shrugged his shoulders and held up both hands helplessly_. **The only solution we have found would be to begin killing it... destroying the fabric of its graviton-based nature. Do we have the right to do so? What would be its response if attacked in such a manner? These are questions that even the vast resources available to V'Ger cannot answer... there are some things in what we see as our reality that are quite simply too complex to control. So we leave him alone and hope that the Overseer in turn leaves us alone**.

_Data's own expression turned grim_. **But the Overseer is NOT leaving us alone**, _he pointed out_. **The creature has discovered a way to build vast, stable gateways through subspace. He is working steadily to connect together as many universes as possible so that in the end he can enter and conquer them ALL. That is why I have brought the _Yellowjacket_ to this location. I am busy mapping as much of creation as possible in the hopes that I can find a way to disrupt his control of that gateway network**.

**The Overseer's influence is much more all-encompassing then you can possibly imagine**, _responded Decker firmly_. **Your recent mission to the Zygopterran home world located ONE planet with ONE series of gateways. But that discovery is only a single hub connected to thousands of other hubs. This creature has been attempting to link together ALL of creation, an astonishing endeavor that he is closer to completing than many of us ever conceived possible. If we do not stop him, one day this alien will run ALL of creation... it is only a matter of time until his transitions through subspace lead him to the discovery of this network too. Once that happens we will truly be unable to stop him. He is limited only by the availability of gravitons, and that is why part of his design involves acquiring artificial generators. It allows him to grow without destroying stars and the slaves that live on the planets orbiting them**.

_The android starship Captain considered the matter carefully for a moment_. **What do I do?** _he asked quizzically_. **Even if your colleagues in charge of the Preserver network decline to act, I must. My oath and duty to protect Starfleet and all of its history obligates me to defend the people I represent, even if I must kill to do so. The Overseer has not asked for permission to do what he is doing, so my crew and I are left with no choice but to treat his intrusion into our space and time as an invasion**.

_Decker paused long enough to sit down in the cockpit seat normally occupied by Chief O'Brien. He swiveled the chair ninety degrees so that he faced the android and chuckled_. **We are well aware of your problem, **_he acknowledged reluctantly._** Long before V'Ger and I traveled into the subspace network and became part of it, the Preservers have been aware of this problem. They feel as though their hands are tied... anything they do would either kill a magnificent alien being, trigger a backlash against many living people, or both. They are afraid to act, even though the Council of Elders has regularly reviewed this matter for centuries. Whenever it comes time to render an actual decision, they throw that decision of what to do toward a new committee, asking them to 'seek out' more information. The entire affair has become highly politicized and stagnant**.

**I must do something**, _insisted Data_. **Even if that something is the simple act of contacting my friend Commander Frank Roberts in the Preserver's distant future**. _He shook his head with an emotion-chip stimulated sigh of frustration_. **How could the Preservers approve the monstrous plan that the Sentinel attempted to carry out, and yet ignore something as dangerous and destructive as the Overseer?**

_Decker laughed lightly_. **Although you may not realize it, your resolution to the crisis with the Sentinel is where YOU actually have helped yourself considerably in this matter, Captain Data**. _He casually waved a hand at the entirety of creation surrounding them_. **Have you not noticed how carefully and meticulously activity WITHIN our subspace network is monitored? I am certain that you are also aware of the numerous security protocols used to properly exchange information and govern the use of our resources. And yet, outside of subspace - in normal space/time - those who access and use our facilities are free to harm anything or anyone that they choose to... and many HAVE regularly chosen to abuse our network**.

**Yes**, _admitted Data_. **I have indeed noticed**.

**This network has traditionally operated on the simple methodology of quid pro quo - or 'something for something'**, _Decker continued_. **Until we encountered YOU, no one cared at all about what the resources of our network were used for outside of subspace. Our entire concept of security was INTERNAL... protecting the privacy of our users and insuring that those who used our resources in turn eventually donated something back**.

_Data regarded Decker with newfound interest_. **So what has changed?** _he asked inquisitively_.

_Decker laughed heartily for a moment and then smiled reassuringly_. **Don't you remember, my friend?** _He tapped his left temple with the tip of one finger for emphasis_. **Your computer friend Briea - the artificial intelligence serving the Sentinel - innately possessed a strong sense of the difference between right and wrong. However, until you and Frank Roberts gave her and her fellow computers in the Preserver future a COPY of your moral and ethical subroutines, they had no way to identify specifically what those feelings were or the wisdom to properly act on them. That has changed. Now that you have liberated them and given them the ability to help police the Preserver culture, significantly more attention has been diverted to the possibility of intervening in the affairs of those who would use the resources of our network for destructive purposes. In many cases, they are no longer permitted to do so**.

**That sounds like a potentially dangerous situation**, _responded Data_. **Our Starfleet operates in a much smaller area and on a much smaller scale, and yet we are governed by a PRIME directive limiting our ability to interfere with other cultures**.

**I too am familiar with Starfleet's Prime Directive, am I not?**_ chuckled Decker as he pointed to the 23rd century era Starfleet Commander's uniform he still wore_. **Briea and her colleagues are NEW at this, but you my friend are an old hat. I have an idea how you and I can pursue this matter further - but we can only hope to succeed by working together. Will you TRUST me?**

**Yes**, _Data declared without hesitation. _**I am quite familiar with your service record, although the V'Ger entity remains primarily unknown to my people**.

**V'Ger and I are quite familiar with YOUR record**, _Decker reminded him_. **In all of our travels, none of us - not even the Preservers themselves - have ever encountered an artificial intelligence that can match yours. The Data-Class android is truly unique, possessing both outstanding judgment and a burning compassion favoring all life. Not even my direct connection with V'Ger has allowed him to fully experience all that can be with humanity and the emotions that go with it. YOU are the closest artificial life has ever come to emulating the real thing, and I sincerely believe that you hold the key to the overall resolution of our mutual problem with the Overseer**.

**What are you going to do?**

**We will not hurt you**. _Decker promised, and Data could tell instantly that the promise was sincere. The network permitted no deception of any kind within its internal boundaries_. **I need to walk in your shoes and see through your eyes. In return, V'Ger will be able to do so also**.

_Nothing happened at first, and then Data felt the first few tiny electrical pinpricks of an alien presence touching his neural net. He didn't quite know how to describe the experience scientifically, but if there was such a thing as telepathy for electronic minds then what he currently felt would probably serve as a good example. The image of the Decker/V'Ger entity seated next to him vanished and he could feel the powerful alien mind attempting to connect itself directly to his positronic brain. At first his instinctive impulse was to resist, but Data knew Decker well enough to trust him with his neural net. He simply provided his friend with the tolerance data necessary to avoid overloading his electronic mind._

_Seconds later their minds were merged together and - in addition to the Preserver network - Data now had all of the resources of the V'Ger entity at his disposal. For the first time he actually sensed the other parts of the Decker entity - the residual traces of Ilia's personality and the vast resources comprising the V'Ger probe._

**Let's go back into the passenger section of this runabout and more fully explain our current situation to your friends**, _Decker suggested_. **V'Ger and I will work with you and assist you in solving this problem. Once we have done so, only then will we explain the situation to the Council of Elders**.

**Avoiding government red tape is the quickest way to get ourselves into trouble**, Data warned him, but Decker ignored his attempt at humor.

* * *

As soon as Data opened the doorway that had temporarily sealed off the cockpit, Chief O'Brien and Dr. Bashir rose to their feet with astonished looks on their faces. He therefore stepped into the runabout's passenger section with a distinct note of skepticism. The android Captain was unaware of any changes to his physical appearance, so he found himself somewhat puzzled when even the Janeway hologram raised an eyebrow. "Is something wrong?" he asked innocently.

Bashir hesitated for a moment and then pointed. "Your... eyes... they're _glowing_ Captain."

All Data needed to do was turn toward one of the windows and his reflection confirmed Bashir's statement. Both of his eyes flared brilliantly with an intense, bright white light that illuminated the otherwise dark view and reflected back at him. "So they are," Data replied.

Within his neural net he heard the Decker entity laughing. **It is time to tell them everything Data**, the presence sharing his positronic mind suggested. **They are the TEAM you have chosen to help**.

The android considered Decker's opinion, evaluating it and coming to a decision in a fraction of a second. He leaned back into the cockpit and picked up a data padd, then returned to the main cabin and handed the padd to O'Brien. "These are specifications detailing the general layout of a massive, alien computer network concealed within subspace," he told the stunned Chief. "The crew of the _Relativity_ and I discovered it during a recent mission while interacting with an ancient race called the Preservers. You may read all the details once we have concluded our discussion, but for now suffice it to say that I have resources at my disposal beyond even 29th century technology. We will need to use all of them in order to resolve our problems with the Overseer."

O'Brien accepted the padd tentatively and looked at the overview diagram displayed on its small screen. "Good God," the Chief stated with clear awe. "How far does this network reach?"

"To date, I have never located its end," admitted the android. "While we were in the alternate universe's Gamma Quadrant, I was still able to connect to it and communicate with the crew of the _Relativity_. So I have at least confirmed that - like the Preservers themselves - the network spans universes." He seated himself next to O'Brien, unsure for once as to where he should start. There was so much to tell.

"Perhaps you should begin with the eye glowing thing," said Janeway, utilizing her usual confidence and good humor to lighten up a very tense situation. "Can _we_ do that too?"

"Probably not," Data commented idly. "I am linked directly to an artificial intelligence that dwells within subspace. We are sharing our thoughts - and memory files - in an attempt to come up with the best solution to our mutual problem. The Overseer's massive presence in so many realities has already disrupted life in many of them and now threatens ours." He turned smoothly to Dr. Bashir. "Next?"

"Where _are_ we?" the Doctor asked, holding up both hands helplessly. He pointed toward the window next to him. "There is absolutely _nothing_ out there. Where exactly have you brought us?"

Data paused thoughtfully for a moment. "I brought us here so that I could utilize the resources of the subspace network to develop a preliminary map of the Overseer," he told them. "I forgot that our presence so near the edge of our universe might be a bit unsettling for you." He glanced down briefly. "There are many priorities I am dealing with, so I hope you can forgive me for my reluctance to keep you fully informed. I had not expected matters to proceed this far, and do not know yet when exactly I will be able to return you to Commander Sisko..."

"...but you _will_ return us?" wondered Bashir with obvious concern.

"Yes. However, we will obviously need to come to some sort of 'agreement' first. Much of what you have learned is classified information on a scale you cannot possibly imagine... you now hold knowledge that in your time can alter Starfleet's future and the destiny of countless other cultures."

Janeway was intrigued. "Were you able to map the Overseer?" she asked. "Is the alien truly as large as indicated in the initial report you found?"

"I have only a partial map," responded Data. He swiveled a nearby computer monitor toward the center of the cabin so that everyone could see. A brightly colored image of a collection of various-sized bubbles appeared. There were thousands of them, floating in a three dimensional environment. All of them were connected by some sort of stringy, sticky substance that in some areas was very thick. Around the outer perimeter of the bubbles there were lengthier strings stretching off into the distance, vanishing off the edges of the diagram or deeper into the image. "Each of these spheres is a universe much like our own," the android informed them. "This map therefore spans countless light years."

"I wasn't aware we lived in a sphere," admitted Bashir. "I guess I never thought about it that much."

"Each of these realities was created by a Big Bang similar to the one that began our universe," continued Data. "The result of that explosion is why our galaxies are constantly 'flying apart' and why stars are gradually cooling over the course of billions of years." He gestured toward the screen. "The sticky-like substance connecting all of the spheres together is what we know as subspace. Note that it penetrates many of the spheres, and that some of the spheres overlap. I can only speculate as to what we would find within those universes... it is possible that the normal physical laws present in our reality would not function there."

"There are subspace strands stretching off the edges of the screen," O'Brien noted. "Where do they go?"

"As far as I can tell, they connect to other universe structures just like this one." Data's eyes continued to glow bright white as the Decker entity within his neural net searched through his database. In turn, a good deal of the android's positronic activity was now dedicated to accessing and evaluating the data stored within the V'Ger entity's massive information warehouse. "We know it is possible to travel to virtually any other reality if we know the proper transition parameters to use. However, what we have not known up until now is that - on at least some occasions - travelers must pass through various hubs in order to reach the proper destination."

"Is our universe in that diagram?" asked Janeway.

"Yes." Data touched a keypad and one of the bubbles glowed bright red. "The red sphere is our reality, and the _Yellowjacket_ is currently hovering near the outer event horizon... I could use the network's transporters to move us farther out but the laws of physics would begin to degrade and we might not be able to get back." He shrugged idly. "This particular position has served us well, allowing the Preserver network to use us as a focal point while it maps everything surrounding us."

"So we're no longer even in our _own_ galaxy?" gasped O'Brien.

Data shook his head. "No, we are not in any galaxy. In fact, we are very far away indeed from the closest star. Out here at the peripheral edge of the Big Bang that occurred so long ago there is only microscopic, residual debris. It is too bad that this trip must forever be classified, because the four of us have traveled where no man has gone before - much farther in fact than any other Starfleet crewman or woman in our entire history."

Bashir stared straight ahead for a moment, trying desperately to comprehend the vast distances involved. "We can get _back_, can't we?" he mumbled finally.

"Certainly," Data confirmed. "I can use the transporter system and the lengthy network stretching through subspace to return us shortly... the mapping process is nearly complete."

"Where is the Overseer?" wondered Janeway curiously. "If all of that sticky, stretchy stuff connecting universes together is indeed layers of subspace, then where is _he_ on your diagram?"

Again Captain Data touched the keypad on his monitor. A massive, twisting worm-like series of bright green tentacles suddenly appeared in much of the void surrounding the spheres. The tendrils wound and weaved their way through subspace and primarily around the spheres. But the invasive, piercing tendrils comprising the Overseer had definitely penetrated many of the various realities, some of them quite thoroughly. Before Data's modification, a vast and empty void had comprised most of the area surrounding the bubble-like cluster of universes. After his change, at least half of that void vanished... consumed by the various-sized cord-like tendrils of the alien entity.

"I have never before seen an alien quite this large," admitted Data. "If the creature has a beginning or an end, we cannot determine that without considerably more stopping points. Perhaps if we traveled to some of the other universes and continued our mapping process..."

O'Brien shook his head with determination. "No," he protested, obviously touched by some of the anxiety that Dr. Bashir was feeling. The Chief was simply hiding his emotion much better. "I have a wife and child Captain. If you want to do that much exploration at a level so far _beyond_ anything Starfleet has ever done, then I would hope that you will complete your journey without me. This experience has been exciting enough for me, thank you very much."

Leaning forward so she could examine the updated image more closely, Janeway smiled. "Have you learned everything that you needed to?" she asked Data. "Using this new information, can you come up with a reasonable course of action?"

The android turned toward her, and even Janeway's holographic personality found herself having a difficult time adjusting to his glowing white eyes. They were more than a little intimidating, to say the least. "No matter what we find, I believe our options boil down to two," Data replied somewhat grimly. "To kill or not to kill."

"It _always_ comes down to that," grumbled O'Brien. "No matter what it is, or how big, or what it is composed of, or what its capabilities may be... that's always what these kind of first contacts boil down to in the end. Can we negotiate with it or do we treat it as an enemy combatant?" His gaze shifted to Data. "Are you certain those are our only options?"

"Avoiding it entirely would be another alternative," mused Data thoughtfully. "However, since the Overseer is utilizing subspace to enter our universe I doubt we can move our entire galaxy," he replied. "Unfortunately the creature is quite mobile and capable of expanding and growing so long as it captures additional gravitons. When it finds interstellar objects barren of life it consumes them entirely. The alien scientist who first documented its existence was unconcerned with his discovery of the Overseer, since its presence would not reach his galaxy for thousands of centuries. We who live in the Milky Way do not have that same luxury. I therefore have no choice but to attempt to negotiate some sort of settlement with it. If we can convince the Overseer to pull back, to retreat at least a little bit..."

"Doubtful," decided Janeway. "That _thing_ has invaded countless alternate realities... I'm certain that by now _someone_ has attempted to negotiate with it. What you need is some sort of weapon that can be used against it," she concluded. "Otherwise you have nothing to bargain with, and it can continue to freely use its abilities to bully and destroy us."

"All actions have consequences," Bashir protested softly. "If you do find a way to destroy that thing, who knows how many slaves serving it on those gateway planets will suddenly be liberated? Most of them have probably known no other life... who will help them build cultures of their own? How do we determine exactly just how many life forms in countless galaxies are willingly cooperating with this creature? Simply killing it could inadvertently destroy the livelihood of countless living beings. Do we have the _right_ to do that?"

"We have the right to defend ourselves," stated Data firmly. "However, we are also bound by Starfleet's Prime Directive and its laws governing the responsible use of force."

**And YOU are the being most capable of coming up with the proper course of action**, Decker interjected suddenly. His electronic thoughts continued to touch Data's positronic thoughts... nothing was verbal. Only Janeway - with her link to the android fully restored - could overhear. **Your colleagues in the 29th century will disagree with you, call for endless rounds of meetings and assign committees to study this problem. It has all been done before, many times, and in many universes. Only YOU, Data, can come up with the best solution for everyone involved**. **You have the unique link to humanity that allows you to access compassion as well as other human emotions**. **I will assist you, and so will those who run the network**.

"So let's do it... let's try and negotiate with this Overseer," Janeway proposed.

Data nodded in complete agreement. "Computer, erect a level 10 containment field around the aft portion of the passenger section."

"_Acknowledged_."

Almost immediately a circular, emerald hued energy barrier snapped to life, very similar to the one that they had used before in order to contain the captured Zygopterran insectoid. There was a brief electronic crackling and a flash of green before the force field ultimately stabilized and returned to its normal, invisible state. Data opened a tricorder and carefully studied the strength of the force field while O'Brien and Bashir looked on with astonishment. "What are you doing?" asked a tentative Bashir.

"We're going to talk to the Overseer," the android replied firmly. "Computer, increase the strength of the force field by one hundred twenty percent."

As its energy supply increased, the shield snapped and popped powerfully.

"_Completed_."

"_Talk_ to it?" Bashir glanced apprehensively at Janeway. "How do we even go about _finding_ it?"

"At this particular location, the Overseer is hiding in the surrounding subspace," pointed out Data, waving a hand toward the nearest window. "I deliberately placed the _Yellowjacket_ inside one of the tendrils diagrammed on my map. This is just one of many places that the creature has been using as a staging ground to discover the best method of entering our universe." He returned his attention to the tricorder. "Computer, lower the anti-graviton shielding within the boundaries of the force field. Make those same adjustments to the runabout's upper hull directly above the containment barrier."

"_Anti-graviton shielding is now inactive in the specified locations_," stated the _Yellowjacket_'s main computer system informatively as it complied with his request.

"Are you certain this is safe?" O'Brien asked apprehensively. "That thing is _dangerous_ Data... and if you don't believe me just remember that night I spent aboard the _Ha'Husia_."

"I am well aware of the risks involved, and also fully confident that the _Yellowjacket_'s systems will protect us," decided the android conclusively. "However, our invitation is so far not tempting enough to attract a reply." His attention returned to the electronically whirring tricorder. "Computer, increase the graviton output of the deck plating inside the force field barrier by ten percent. Continue to increase that output by ten percent every thirty seconds."

"_Acknowledged. Adjustments in progress_..."

It took several minutes of patient waiting, but the gravity from the floor section within Data's containment field steadily increased as the computer complied with the Captain's command. Chief O'Brien had to grip the metallic data padd he was still holding much more tightly as the gravity at the rear of the small vessel rose steadily higher and higher. He also felt a slight but definite tug on his Comm-badge. In the end Data's strategy proved to be successful, and they all watched with baited breath as a subspace rift began forming within the containment field. Almost immediately a glowing green graviton tendril emerged and promptly attached itself to the metal floor below. The four Starfleet crewmembers watched the energy cord visibly _increase_ in size as the runabout's power systems continued to provide it with a steady flow of increased gravity.

"It's consuming the higher gravity in the same way a child eats _candy_," noted Bashir, clearly excited.

"Yes," agreed Data. "Computer. Return the gravitational field within the deck plating to normal."

"_Request completed_."

Almost immediately the graviton tendril snapped upward, as though noticing the occupants of the runabout for the first time. It weaved back and forth between port and starboard, appearing to carefully study the interior of the small space vessel. Abruptly a series of clicks and whistles could be heard, loud enough to cause O'Brien and Bashir to cover their ears. "What is that?" asked O'Brien. "That noise sounds almost exactly like..."

"Zygopterran," Data nodded as he too recognized the voice pattern. "I am tying in the _Yellowjacket_'s universal translator so that everyone can hear and understand what our guest has to say."

_"...WHY ARE YOU HERE?"_

The creature's presence continued to astonish Chief O'Brien and Dr. Bashir. Neither spoke the insectoid Zygopterran language, and yet the instant the translator kicked in they heard and understood its speech both verbally and telepathically. The Overseer's instinctive ability to communicate directly with living beings at so elemental a level was impressive, and it had clearly perfected the technique over the years. The two of them looked sharply toward Data, but the android hesitated at first before responding.

"You have invaded our universe... manipulated and attacked our people," the Captain replied finally. "Did it not occur to you that we might seek you out - that we might try and stop you?"

_"I HAVE ATTACKED NO ONE. I EXIST HERE. I STUDY YOUR REALITY."_

"It doesn't look like the creature that attacked me," pointed out O'Brien.

"No, it does not," Data noted as he conducted a detailed scan of the alien energy strand with his tricorder. "This is what the entity looks like before it manipulates gravitons to alter its appearance."

Janeway moved closer, continuing to walk toward the alien until she was only inches away from the outer edge of the containment barrier. "It doesn't know who or what we are," she commented with growing interest. "It doesn't know we're from a distant galaxy. Apparently the Overseer's ability to communicate with the other various parts of itself across vast distances is limited. Either that or whatever serves as its 'brain' must be segmented in some manner. Could this actually be a large number of smaller entities, all occupying one massive, single body?"

_"I AM ONE, I AM ALL, I AM THE OVERSEER."_

"Why have you breached the outer boundaries of our universe?" Data inquired curiously. "Why have you infiltrated our subspace and interfered with the life forms living within our galaxy?"

The creature did not hesitate with its next response. Its presence was bold and deliberately confrontational. _"I AM THE OVERSEER,"_ its translated male voice boomed. _"EVENTUALLY I WILL BE EVERYWHERE. THE WAY MUST BE PREPARED IF THE LIFE FORMS ARE TO SURVIVE. I DO NOT WISH TO INJURE THEM."_

Everyone was silent for a moment, evaluating the strange alien entity and its stated purpose. "But you _have_ injured the life forms," said Janeway fiercely, deciding to challenge the creature. "Like you, each of them wishes to define its own purpose, its own objectives. By manipulating and killing them you are denying them the very same choices that you grant yourself. That is completely wrong," she snapped. "On so _many_ levels."

_"I AM THE OVERSEER. EVENTUALLY I WILL BE EVERYWHERE. THE WAY MUST BE PREPARED."_

Abruptly the glittering green tendril attacked the force field, smashing into it so hard that the barrier buzzed angrily and lit up the entire cabin with its bright, fierce resistance to the impact. Bashir flinched noticeably, but the Janeway hologram continued to stand nose to nose with the alien. Whether that fearlessness was her own confidence and training or the knowledge that she was a photonic hologram, no one could tell.

_"...WHY ARE YOU HERE?"_

"It _doesn't_ understand," said O'Brien grimly, agreeing with Janeway's earlier assessment. "At least here, the creature has no idea who we are."

"It understands enough," countered Bashir. "Wherever it travels to 'prepare the way', people are manipulated, enslaved and killed. This particular 'piece' of it may not know what the other part of it in our galaxy is doing, but it is definitely the same creature." He too was scanning it with a medical tricorder, using a portable, external scanner to compare and contrast it with known life forms already stored in his database. "This creature is unlike any life form we have ever encountered, but it definitely _is_ sentient even though it lacks any recognizable biological properties. How it can manage that when the bulk of it exists _outside_ of normal time and space..." The Doctor's voice trailed off, since he was clearly unable to fathom the countless possibilities.

"Computer, restore all anti-graviton properties to the _Yellowjacket_'s shielding," ordered Data.

"_Acknowledged_."

Almost instantly the large, brightly lit tendril retreated back inside the small pocket of subspace and vanished. Captain Data waited until he was certain that the atmosphere content within the containment barrier had returned to normal and then ordered the computer to lower the force field. Janeway and the two humans watched him curiously and it was O'Brien who finally asked the question they were all thinking. "_Why_ did you do that sir?"

"Because the Overseer has already told us everything it is capable of communicating to life forms it considers to be inferior," Data stated sincerely. "Remaining here would simply be a waste of time while the portion of it within our galaxy continues to do damage."

"You're not going to _kill_ it?" Dr. Bashir gasped suddenly. "Captain, this is an _astonishing_ discovery!"

"Even if we had decided to, we can't kill it without some sort of weapon," ventured Janeway.

"That thing _eats_ gravitons," snapped O'Brien. "It _relies_ upon them in the same manner that we rely upon food. If you want to develop a weapon capable of stopping this creature, I highly recommend beginning your search with anti-graviton technology."

"I am not yet ready to render a decision as to whether or not the creature should die," Data decided. "We must first discuss this matter further, and I must study additional data provided by my new colleague from within the subspace network."

"How do you kill something that's _larger_ than our universe?" asked Bashir. "Even with all the technology in the universe, I think you're going to have a very difficult time accomplishing _that_."

"Can we possibly return to our _own_ galaxy and _then_ decide?" asked O'Brien suddenly. "Now that I know where we are, it's making me extremely nervous being out here - so very far from home." He glanced out the window. "There's nothing to see... just a bunch of dark empty space and an invisible, monstrous being that wants to recruit us as slaves so that we can continue helping it build those bloody gateways."

"We know that there are - at the very least - occasional concentrations of gravitons out there," countered Data. "That is what created our enormous adversary in the first place. Without them he cannot exist." The android stood up suddenly and moved toward the cockpit. "But you are correct Chief. It is time we returned to our own home and attended to the business at hand."

Doctor Bashir continued to stare out the window. "When I wanted to see life on the frontier, I never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would ever have the opportunity to travel _this_ far from home," he conceded. "And to think we traveled all this way just to see... _nothing_." He grinned at O'Brien. "Doesn't it excite you to be one of the first two humans along for the ride?"

"It will _excite_ me considerably more to be one of the first two humans to successfully return unharmed," the Chief replied moodily.

"I wouldn't worry about it Chief," said Janeway enthusiastically, patting him on the shoulder. "Captain Data has proven to be a very capable leader in situations like this. I have a great deal of confidence in his ability to come up with a workable solution."

"Maybe so, but that glowing eyes thing has got to go," decided O'Brien firmly. "I've gotten used to his odd android appearance over the years, but this new look is completely over the top."


	13. The City On The Edge Of Forever

**Star Trek: Reign Of Terror**

**Chapter XIII: The City On The Edge Of Forever**

* * *

Deep Space Nine, Promenade, Stardate 48252.6

* * *

Keiko O'Brien paused briefly near the edge of the Promenade as she noticed Karg, the Klingon restaurant owner, waving for her attention. The burly alien nodded upon successfully catching her eye and pointed toward one of the empty tables near a corner of his restaurant. He shrugged his shoulders and frowned at her, indicating that he didn't totally know how to handle whatever situation was developing. Moving closer toward the partially concealed table in question, Keiko was surprised to hear the sound of children's voices.

"What's going on?" inquired Chief O'Brien's wife suspiciously, dropping to one knee so that she could peer beneath the table surface. The faces of Jake, Nog, and her very own Molly looked back up at her expectantly. Her pretty Asian features crinkled into an expression of concern as she recognized the infamous trio. "Everyone has heard about these ongoing pranks of yours," she cautioned the children. "And I thought that we had all agreed that you would find something more productive to do with your time. Otherwise I can always restore a regular class schedule until this latest crisis has passed."

"We're _not_ playing pranks this time, Ms. O'Brien," stated Jake firmly, putting one arm reassuringly around little Molly's shoulders.

Next to Sisko's son, Nog nodded his head in total agreement. "_Honest_, we're not," he insisted. "None of us felt safe in our quarters, so we all decided to come here and pass the time watching all the people."

Keiko crossed her arms. "You don't feel safe?" she repeated slowly, unsure yet as to whether the boys were pulling her leg or not. "Karg has been telling everyone stories that might indicate otherwise... it sounds like you enjoy playing jokes on him."

Jake briefly glanced down at the floor before responding. "We _have_ played jokes," he admitted readily. "But _not_ since we heard about the deadline. That alien creature is no longer after just random people," Sisko's son reminded her. "Everyone knows all about its plan to destroy Deep Space Nine, and it's going to try and do just that in less than an hour." He studied her expression with genuine fear in his own eyes. "Just sitting around waiting for it to happen was really scary... so the three of us decided to come here."

Abruptly Mrs. O'Brien realized that the three youngsters were not kidding her, and that they were indeed sincerely frightened. "You really feel _safer_ under that table?" she asked them with growing interest. "You know, there are plenty of armed guards already on duty in the habitat ring..."

Nodding firmly, Nog smiled his crooked, pointy-toothed smile. "Watching the crowd takes our mind off of things and helps us to pass the time," he replied. "Otherwise we sit around imagining all of the terrible things that _might_ happen."

Glancing briefly toward Karg, Keiko began to understand the situation much better. The Klingon chef smiled at her reassuringly to let her know that everything was okay. "Commander Sisko does not intend to let that creature destroy Deep Space Nine," she reassured them. "I certainly hope you all realize that."

"It's warm and safe in here Mommy," piped up young Molly. "Would you like to join us?"

"I don't think there's enough room under there," decided Keiko with a light laugh. For what seemed like the thousandth time, her thoughts drifted toward her husband's dedication to Starfleet and the dangers that regularly came along with it. "I suppose that if it helps you to feel safer, then it's okay to stay and watch. Just don't worry about this situation _too_ much," she advised the three youngsters. "Starfleet is used to dealing with dangers very similar to this one... they'll know how to handle any attack." Deep down inside she wasn't completely convinced, even though she had little choice but to try and comfort them. Over the years she had simply seen too many different aliens with power and abilities that regularly put even highly trained, experienced people in danger.

"I know Ms. O'Brien," Jake declared. "We just want to have some cover if things start to fall."

Keiko shook her head at his reaction. "Okay Jake, but please make sure Molly makes it home for dinner... you and Nog can stop by too if you would like to join us."

"We'll be there Mommy!" declared young Molly enthusiastically.

Carefully Keiko O'Brien took a few minutes to speak with Karg before she headed back to her school room to continue her work reviewing homework assignments. The large Klingon promptly reassured her that he would do his best to keep an eye on the young people if an alien creature did indeed decide to attack the space station. _After all_, Keiko decided silently. _Anything is possible where the Starfleet exploration of space is concerned._

* * *

From his position on the opposite end of the Promenade, Quark watched Keiko walk away while polishing one of his glass mugs with a clean towel. His disposition over the past day had darkened considerably, and he didn't see it lightening any time soon. Next to him, his brother Rom was busy kneeling behind the bar countertop and working diligently to replace empty ale barrels with full ones. "I'm telling you Rom, this isn't good," predicted the Ferengi bar owner moodily. "The lockdown was bad enough, but now we're going to be attacked. How come there always seems to be something _dark_ and _dangerous_ on the horizon whenever Starfleet's around?"

An empty, wooden ale barrel rolled past Quark's feet. "Yesterday you were _praising_ the quarantine," Rom reminded him. "I believe you said that you liked the idea of a station full of permanent customers."

"That was _then_," snapped Quark sharply. "That was before a powerful alien creature threatened to destroy the _entire_ station." He glared irritably at his brother. "That includes the two of _us_, you know. What good are record profits if we're not around to spend them?"

Rom contemplated Quark's comments for a moment. "Can I have my share _now?_" he asked while pondering the matter further. "I also have a week of vacation time coming and if you have no objections I would like to use it all now... right now."

"No," Quark growled with growing frustration. Another empty ale drum rolled past his legs and crashed into the first one. He finished shining the mug he was holding and set it down, picking up the next one in a long line of them arranged elegantly along the countertop. "How come it's always Starfleet that runs into these unknown alien creatures?" he wondered out loud. "How come we never hear stories about 'strange and unknown entities' being encountered by the _Cardassians_... or the _Klingons_ for that matter?"

Rom hesitated only a few seconds before replying. "Perhaps because the other races aren't smart enough to figure out a way to survive those encounters?" he speculated without looking up.

The theory caught Quark completely off guard. Over the years he had been close on many occasions to simply writing his brother off as a complete idiot. And yet, every once in a while Rom would say something truly intelligent or extremely insightful, proving that deep down inside his brother's skull there wasn't a complete dolt lurking beneath. It didn't happen often, but Rom definitely had his moments. "This isn't good," the Ferengi bartender repeated darkly. "It's not good at all Rom..."

* * *

_U.S.S. Enterprise_, Approaching Deep Space Station Nine, Stardate 48252.7

* * *

Frustrated, Captain Jean-Luc Picard sat in his command chair and waited. "Time," he demanded briskly for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"Thirty-two minutes, twenty-one seconds," replied Lt. Commander Data from his navigation station. "Unfortunately, we will not arrive at Deep Space Nine before the alien's deadline expires."

"We're lucky we're going to be there at _all_," Riker frowned moodily. He was in his usual seat next to Picard, resting his chin on his closed, right fist. "If Captain Sanders and the _Malinche_ hadn't arrived early, we'd have had no alternative except to remain in the Denali system and continue overseeing the evacuation of all those refugees."

"We'll get there," promised Picard softly. He glanced toward his First Officer. "Take us to yellow alert Number One. We'll elevate to red alert the moment we drop out of warp and enter the Bajoran system."

"Acknowledged," Riker responded. He triggered the yellow alert klaxon and stood up, preparing to make the necessary preparations for an all out call to battle stations. Behind them and standing in his usual position at the peak of the bridge horseshoe, Worf nodded confidently as he too prepared the starship's weapons systems for combat. As he did so, Riker activated the starship's all-call. "All hands, the ship is now at yellow alert. Prepare for battle stations... this is _not_ a drill."

The starshine continued to fly past the edges of the viewscreen much faster than usual. "How much longer can we maintain maximum warp?" inquired Picard, shifting his penetrating gaze to Lt. Commander Geordi LaForge.

"Long enough to get where we're going Captain," LaForge replied firmly. "I'm certain of that."

An electronic chime unexpectedly sounded on Worf's panel, an incoming signal that he promptly checked up on. "Captain, I am detecting a nearby distress signal," the large Klingon stated tersely, studying the incoming readouts carefully. "The transmission has a Starfleet signature... it is most probably an escape pod."

Picard's intense gaze could have bored holes into the back of Data's head at the announcement. "Data, confirm that," he ordered sharply.

It took only a moment for the _Enterprise_ android to do so. "Confirmed sir," he acknowledged. "We are closing rapidly on a small vessel containing two humanoid life forms. Its distress beacon is definitely utilizing a Starfleet signature."

"Are there other vessels in the area? Any obvious debris fields of any kind?"

Data continued his review of the sensor telemetry. "Negative Captain."

The look of frustration on Riker's face echoed Picard's feelings, although the Captain didn't allow his own personal emotion to show. "Ensign Rager, take the _Enterprise_ out of warp and set an intercept course with the escape pod," the First Officer ordered.

"Aye sir," the talented, dark-haired, dark-skinned helmsman responded curtly, working swiftly to carry out his command. "Rendezvous coordinates set."

Worf adjusted the viewscreen magnification to focus on the small craft. "It looks too large for a shuttle pod," he pointed out. "Schematics on file indicate that the object is almost certainly an emergency lifeboat from one of smaller Starfleet's smaller vessels... _not_ from a larger starship."

"Lock onto it Mr. Worf, and beam that object directly to cargo bay one," Picard instructed him. He rose from his seat to stand next to Riker. "Ensign Rager, have Dr. Crusher meet us in the cargo bay. Take the _Enterprise_ back to warp as soon as that escape pod is safely on board." Flanked by Riker, Data and his Klingon tactical officer, Picard entered the turbolift on his way to the cargo bay. He was quite eager, after all, to sate his growing curiosity.

* * *

Upon arriving in the cargo bay, the first thing noticeable was that the slender, cylindrical escape pod lacked any specific ship identification - there were no markings of any kind on its surface. Worf carefully scanned the outer hull with his tricorder, but the metallic surface appeared completely smooth and showed no signs of any obvious damage. "There are indeed two life forms on board," he noted quickly. "Both are human. No signs of anything dangerous... it should be safe enough to open." Nevertheless he nodded toward Data and the two of them deliberately stepped in front of Picard and Riker. As Picard bristled, the pair deliberately made certain that they were the first to approach and then access the outer hatch.

The always attractive, red-haired Dr. Crusher was busily waving the life signs detector from her medical tricorder toward the pod's doorway as it snapped suddenly open. "Both of the people in there are showing very low respiratory rates," she observed, continuing to study the data. "Normally I'd be tempted to say that they were injured, but tricorder readings are indicating possible tranquilization." Her tricorder continued whirring and beeping until she finally nodded with satisfaction. "Confirmed... both life forms have a strong sedative in their system."

"Who _are _they?" asked Riker, stepping forward with obvious unrestrained interest. He glanced inside the open hatchway and abruptly sucked in his breath.

"O'Brien," Worf noted brusquely, turning toward Riker and Picard with a startled expression on his dark, Klingon features. "Chief _O'Brien_ is in there, along with one other Starfleet officer."

"The second man is Doctor Julian Bashir," noted Data, studying the contours of Bashir's face. "I met him briefly during one of the _Enterprise_'s prior stops at Deep Space Nine. He assisted me with the modification of my dream process, and that has allowed me to continue dreaming periodically in order to stimulate my imagination."

"_You_ have an imagination?" asked Worf somewhat incredulously.

"Probably a much larger, more active one than yours," Crusher noted with a smirk, deliberately ignoring the dark stare Worf cast her way. She removed a hypospray and a vial of medication from her med-kit and snapped them together. Leaning into the pod so she could get a better view of the two men, she administered enough of a stimulant to each of them to safely counteract the effects of the strong sedative they had been given. O'Brien's eyes snapped open almost immediately, but Bashir continued to lay idle for a moment longer before stirring.

"Commander Sisko specifically mentioned that he left behind a team of investigators in the vicinity of Denali," Riker reminded his Captain. "It appears as though we've found them."

"Yes, but what happened to their _ship?_" mused Picard thoughtfully. "Remember, there was no sign of any debris where we found them."

"I have a suggestion," stated Beverly Crusher, pointing toward a still groggy but fully conscious Miles Edward O'Brien. "Why don't we simply _ask_ the Chief what happened?"

The Chief had recovered enough to recognize her voice and he glanced upward at all of the familiar faces from his semi-prone position within the pod. "Dr. Crusher... Commander Riker... Worf," he said, a grateful smile lighting his features at the unexpected appearance of all of them. He glanced around at the familiar sight of the cargo bay, finally settling his gaze on Picard and Riker. "Captain Picard... am I on board the _Enterprise__?_"

"You are indeed aboard the _Enterprise_ Mr. O'Brien," Picard replied cordially. "Welcome back Chief."

Next to him, Julian Bashir opened his eyes and began moaning softly. "Oh Chief," the Doctor said miserably, holding up one hand as he tried to shield his eyes from the strong cargo bay lighting. "I don't know about you, but I have got one _whale_ of a headache!"

"What happened to you two?" Riker asked curiously. "Commander Sisko told us that he had a couple of people stationed in this region, but we had no idea that it would be you."

O'Brien rubbed his forehead with one hand, trying to clear his thoughts. "What happened?" he repeated slowly, and then focused his thoughts more clearly on the specifics of the question. A puzzled look crossed his features as he found himself unable to come up with an immediate answer. "I don't remember what happened," he said, sounding somewhat incredulous at the discovery. "I don't remember anything that took place after leaving Deep Space Nine aboard the _Ha'Husia_." The blank expressions on everyone else's face clued him in to the fact that they had no idea what he was talking about. "The _Ha'Husia_ is a Bajoran cargo ship," he explained in more detail. "We were using it to try and lure whoever or whatever has been smuggling equipment and killing people out into the open." The Chief looked curiously toward Julian Bashir, unsure of what else to say.

The Doctor simply shrugged his shoulders, equally perplexed. "I don't remember anything either," he admitted rather sheepishly. "I mean, I do remember getting hit very hard on the head aboard the cargo ship, but after that..."

Dr. Crusher had continued scanning the pair as they talked, and she nodded in agreement. "Both men are showing clear signs of memory tampering," she informed everyone. "Specifically, their short term and recent memories have been erased - approximately five days' worth."

"Are you certain?" inquired Picard. "How do you know that the memory loss is deliberate?"

"Because the technique used is the medical procedure that _I_ invented," Crusher informed him. "If anyone should be able to recognize its aftereffects, it would be me."

* * *

Deep Space Nine, Commander's Office, Stardate 48252.7

* * *

Sitting in his office calmly sipping a mug of raktajino, Benjamin Sisko watched the chronometer on his computer screen slowly count down from seventeen minutes and change. The time left to them had dwindled away almost to nothing - only minutes remained now and relentlessly the seconds continued to tick away. All of the EVA work crews had been recalled and ordered back inside the station, and both the habitat and docking rings were totally locked down and carefully guarded by armed security officers. According to Major Kira, all of the new weapons systems had been installed. Only seventy percent of their new equipment was completely operational as of yet, but hopefully that would be sufficient to aid them in adequately defending the station.

An entire minute ticked away, until Sisko finally gave in to his need for information and double-tapped his Comm-badge. "Sisko to Ducane."

"_Ducane here_," the _Relativity_ Commander responded almost instantly. "_We're ready_."

"Are you certain that your Timeship will remain cloaked and undetectable?" asked Sisko, moving out from behind his desk. He walked over to the door and glanced through the thin windows, his gaze drifting downward toward Jadzia Dax, Kira Nerys and the rest of the on duty Ops personnel.

"_Absolutely. We're parked between you and Bajor, ready to provide all needed assistance_."

"Then I suggest that you relocate immediately," the Commander decided. "After reviewing the logs of the Overseer's attacks on us, it is clear that he has carefully been manipulating subspace in and around the station. Those alterations have made each additional attempt to interfere with activities here easier and easier for him. I am therefore adding the possibility of moving Deep Space Nine back to Bajor as one of my options." Folding the fingers of both hands together he sighed deeply. "The move would only be a temporary one of course - until all hostilities have ceased..."

"_Will your shields and hull hold up under that kind of unusual, abrupt momentum?_"

"Now _that_ is the question of the hour Thomas Joseph Ducane," admitted Sisko honestly. "As with weapons, Deep Space Nine's shields have been significantly enhanced since Starfleet initially took over the station. Things change rapidly during combat situations, especially with a large object like this station. We're used to it being stationary, and there are plenty of Starfleet engineers on board who could help me compensate. However, I simply don't know any of them well enough to trust them with the safety of everyone on board. No one can adjust parameters on the fly during a hostile situation with the same accuracy that Chief O'Brien can... and he is the person who has done it before. I sincerely wish that both he and Dr. Bashir were here. Nonetheless, I am prepared to make the attempt myself."

"_They'll be back soon. Captain Data checked in an hour ago and informed us that the _Yellowjacket_ is already on its way back. He expects to arrive before the Overseer shows up, but mentioned that he still has quite a bit of information to review. In the meantime,_ _we_ _here aboard the_ Relativity _can support you by supplementing your shields and inertial dampeners if you do decide to move the station_."

"You can _supplement_ our shields?" Sisko was intrigued. "By how much?"

Ducane trailed off for a few seconds while Lt. Ingram first checked and then handed him a data padd with updated statistics. "_We can covertly provide as much protection as you need Commander. I strongly suggest, however, that you prioritize moving the entire station at the _bottom_ of your list - as your _last_ option_," he continued. "_Bajor's gravity is significant enough to attract the Overseer's attention... he might just decide to set up shop there instead of here. We also don't need a planet full of witnesses watching while additional temporal incursions are in progress_."

"Acknowledged." Sisko smiled grimly, continuing to watch the Ops personnel outside of his office. "Is there anything else I should know?"

"_Yes, as a matter of fact_," stated Ducane crisply. "_On the back of your Comm-badge is a small, detachable ear receiver similar to the one that Lt. Ingram wears. If you put it on before taking your position in Ops, you'll be able to hear me throughout the confrontation with the Overseer. I'll let you know what we're doing, when we're doing it, and what to expect. No one else will be able to hear_."

"Then I will make certain to wear the receiver," Sisko replied curtly.

* * *

From his position on the upper walkway of the _Relativity_ bridge, Commander Ducane handed the data padd back to Jessica Ingram. "You'd better get going," he told the bright-eyed, intelligent blonde Lieutenant who had steadily developed a reputation over the years for backing both him and Captain Data at every turn. "We've only got a few minutes to undo Michael Eddington's sabotage and restore full power to Deep Space Nine's anti-graviton generators."

Ingram gave him a dry smile. "Puh-lease," she replied with a shake of her head. "It will only take me two minutes to undo his sabotage. The man is a rank amateur... and I ought to know since I was watching him during the entire affair."

"There are at least two crewmen on duty in that deflector station at any given time," Ducane reminded her. "You'll have to deal with them too."

"Not a problem," Ingram called back at him over her shoulder as she headed for the turbolift.

"_Jess_." She paused in the lift doorway at the soft but insistent tone in his voice. "Be _careful_. As soon as Eddington discovers that someone has repaired the damage he caused, he's going to come running. Perhaps I should send a couple of armed security officers with you... just in case."

Jessica's lips curled upward in another amused smile. "We temporal agents have to keep a low profile... remember? _Trust_ me Commander, I can take care of myself. After all, I've already reviewed the history of this battle and I'm ninety percent certain that Sisko's going to end up moving that station. Which means _you'll_ be busy helping to keep it intact."

Watching the lift doors snap closed in front of her, Commander Ducane nodded with satisfaction. "Good luck Lieutenant," he called after her needlessly, knowing full well that she would be smart enough to call for assistance if she needed it.

* * *

Deep Space Nine, Main Operations, Stardate 48252.7

* * *

Sisko was patiently waiting for the deadline to expire, standing behind Lt. Dax and Major Kira when Michael Eddington arrived. The Starfleet security officer was flanked by two of his guards, and all three of them carried phaser rifles. The Commander glanced up at them and motioned toward the three guards already present in Ops. "Be careful Mr. Eddington," he said in warning. "We don't want too much firepower in here, especially after what happened the last time."

"We'll be careful," Eddington promised in reply. "Our analysis has helped us select a lower phaser setting that should continue to disrupt the graviton cords without seriously damaging electronics."

"_If_ the graviton levels remain at historical levels," Kira observed. "Since this thing has threatened to destroy the _entire_ station, I think we're going to see more from it this time than just a few of those hooded creatures."

"That's what the new weapons systems are for," rumbled Sisko ominously, putting a hand on Dax's shoulder. "What is their status Old Man?"

"All phaser cannons are on-line and operational," Dax responded with a confident nod. "However, only the odd-numbered photon launchers are reading green. Even so, I would suggest holding off on firing them initially... using phasers only we should still have sufficient firepower at our disposal to make this creature think twice about attacking us."

"Avoid using the photons at all unless we have no other alternative," suggested Major Kira. "Until Starfleet dispatches a starship or two to reinforce our position here, we have no way to replace them once we deplete our inventory."

"Agreed Major," stated Sisko firmly, watching the chronometer next to his right hand tick slowly down to a scant two minutes. "Dax, what is our shield status?"

"Fully operational," she informed him. "We've had everything up and running ever since the alien delivered his threat, just in case he decides to show up early. Anti-graviton dispersal status reads at one hundred percent and ready for action." Her console flickered for just an instant, causing the Lieutenant to run a brief systems check. Seconds later the readings returned to normal and she shrugged the matter off as just one more problem in a long line of them - dealing with the frustrating outages had become commonplace ever since the upgrade project began.

They stood there for the final hundred seconds, watching as the chronometer dedicated to monitoring the alien's deadline slowly ticked down to zero. Once the remainder of the time had expired, it didn't take the Overseer very long at all to begin reveal his presence. Outside Deep Space Nine, massive pockets of space suddenly turned completely black, rippling with distortion as light from the stars shining behind them was completely obstructed. A swift analysis revealed that they were holes in subspace, first opening and then growing steadily larger. From inside each of them large clusters of glowing green gravimetric tendrils emerged, waving back and forth briefly before moving directly toward the space station. Like bony, long-fingered claws the large concentrations of glittering fibers slowly extended themselves farther and reached outward, closing in rapidly from all angles.

"There are _huge_ subspace ruptures opening all around the station," Kira noted, watching the sensor display carefully. "They're above and below us too... really big ones Commander. At least twenty of them, each one over a thousand meters across." She focused the oval viewscreen's image on the closest one, and they could see at least three dozen massive, graviton tendrils reaching out of the disturbance. "Shields are fully powered and our anti-graviton shield grid is also reading green."

"Plot the location of each disturbance and show me their positions," requested Sisko. "Quickly Major."

The station shook violently as the cluster of graviton filaments suddenly slapped hard around the station's bubble shielding. All of them shimmered brightly in an astonishing display of power for several seconds, their eerie green light easily matched by the crackling blue discharge from Deep Space Nine's deflector shielding. Finally the Overseer's tendrils dissipated and faded away completely as the concentrations of focused gravitons comprising them were swiftly nullified. It didn't take long before a second batch of the tendrils viciously attacked the shielding, followed almost immediately by a third set of them. Again everything shook ominously for almost a minute, but once again the damage proved to be reassuringly minimal.

"Graviton displacement fields are holding at ninety-one percent," noted Dax, working simultaneously to chart the subspace ruptures surrounding the station and create the requested three dimensional diagram to more clearly show their positions. She put it up on her screen even though it was partially complete so that both she and Sisko could examine it. Behind her, Michael Eddington watched the proceedings with a puzzled look on his face, having expected the battle to be over already. His anxiety level began to rise steadily as the attack progressed and Deep Space Nine somehow remained fully protected.

"Order all commanders in the defensive sails to open fire with phasers," snapped Sisko as he studied Dax's sensor diagram while it was still being assembled. "Primary targets should be the heaviest concentrations of gravitons, followed by the center of those disturbances. Let's see if we can disrupt their origin points and collapse those subspace pockets."

Kira passed along the new orders to the firing stations while studying Sisko's expression thoughtfully. "What about photons? They could do it much more quickly..."

"Not yet," the Commander decided, holding up a cautious hand for emphasis. He watched as outgoing phaser fire began to selectively single out and dissipate some of the tendrils. The remaining clusters of graviton filaments attacked with renewed vigor, immediately sensing Deep Space Nine's ferocious reply. New bunches of them formed almost as quickly as the initial ones vanished.

"We're running out of time," Sisko growled with barely contained frustration, watching the number and size of the rifts continue to grow. "In addition to its graviton attack, the alien is also working to surround us with chaotic areas of subspace - it will no doubt use those disturbances in addition to its graviton cords and persistently chip away our shields. If we continue to sit back and simply allow this to continue, we will be unable to sustain our resistance for any reasonable length of time." Sighing heavily, the Commander resigned himself to the inevitable tough choice left to him and sat down in an empty chair next to Jadzia Dax.

"What are you doing?" asked Kira, watching his fingers dance across a rarely used console. Its controls lit up almost immediately in response to his touch as the Commander continued entering a long series of commands for the main computer to carry out.

Sisko glanced over at her grimly. "I'm firing the station's RCS thrusters while we still have the time to use them," he replied. "I'm getting us the _hell_ out of here... if I don't act now there won't be enough room left for us to safely maneuver between those subspace disturbances."

The Major remained her usual, unflustered self but paused with her response long enough for him to clearly notice her concern. Nonetheless Kira turned back to her sensor console and continued to monitor the battle. "All phasers are targeting graviton tendrils and maintaining fire," she reported. "So far, the alien has been unable to breach our shields. Our weapons are destabilizing at least some of its tendrils and thereby limiting its ability to sustain a prolonged attack." She studied the data further and then shifted her gaze directly toward him. "I hate to bring this up again Commander, but high yield photons would no doubt be able to destabilize those subspace disturbances entirely. That would give us additional time..."

"Negative," the Commander decided firmly. "Do _not_ fire torpedoes... we're leaving this area behind as fast as I can get us underway." Again the walls shuddered and groaned from the strain of the constant attacks. Three more clusters of tendrils wrapped themselves around the station's defensive shielding, and each of them immediately began to shrivel up and vanish as the anti-graviton field within the shield grid persistently continued to dissipate the alien's power source exactly as predicted. More creaks and groans from the stressed hull plating resounded through Ops, this time caused by the sudden build up of momentum generated as soon as Sisko successfully fired the station's maneuvering thrusters.

Eddington had continued to watch them work, his brow noticeably soaked in sweat as the battle against the Overseer progressed. "Commander Sisko," he began slowly. "If you're satisfied the security arrangements in Ops are adequate, I should check in with Odo and help him make certain the rest of the station's internal areas are equally protected from the alien's attack."

"By all means Mr. Eddington," said Sisko without looking up. "Matters are under control here."

The Commander had chosen to wear the 29th century receiver device as requested by Ducane, so he wasn't surprised to hear the _Relativity_ officer's voice suddenly crackle in his right ear. "_I can see where you're headed with this_," Ducane told him privately. "_Feel free to proceed Commander Sisko... we're augmenting your shield grid with power from our own systems and stabilizing your structural integrity._"

"It is a bad plan that cannot be changed," Sisko mumbled, primarily to himself. He couldn't remember exactly where he had heard the quote, but it seemed rather appropriate for the situation suddenly facing the valiant station crew.

Around them the hull continued to shake and rumble ominously while Deep Space Nine's thrusters continued to steadily accelerate the station away from its former position. One of the consoles near Kira exploded in a shower of sparks and gray smoke, but a Bajoran crewman working nearby promptly handed her a small fire extinguisher with a grim look of determination. He smiled at her with bold confidence and Kira returned the favor.

Keeping careful watch on the sensor map of their defensive phaser attack, Kira accepted the small device from her fellow Bajoran and proceeded to put out the sputtering fire.

* * *

The _Yellowjacket_ dropped out of warp in time to enter the Bajoran system and conduct a detailed scan of Deep Space Nine only minutes prior to the attack. Captain Data was at the helm in the cockpit with the Kathryn Janeway hologram seated next to him.

The android deeply regretted having had no choice but to jettison both Chief O'Brien and Dr. Bashir in the runabout's small escape pod. However, the circumstances of the Overseer's latest determined attempt to manipulate events in their time and space had left him with very few alternatives. His need for the two Starfleet officers was at an end, so he had taken a few minutes to blank their short term memories and then drop them off in front of the _Enterprise_ on his way back to DS9. At least they would be rescued by familiar faces and the Chief would have a chance to say hello to his old friends.

"There is definitely a fight breaking out," Janeway informed him as the _Yellowjacket_ continued to close rapidly on the site of the unexpected, sudden appearance of the subspace disturbances. "But the Commander isn't just sitting around. It looks as though Deep Space Nine is in motion... the entire space station is beginning to slowly move away from the Overseer's point of attack." She double checked the readings to be certain, raising an eyebrow. "Now that they're moving the station is actually accelerating, and for now their structural integrity seems to be holding up quite well."

"Captain Janeway, I need your to take over here for me here," Data informed her calmly, analyzing the situation almost instantaneously and coming up with his decision. "As soon as we reach the location that Deep Space Nine just vacated, I'm going to beam myself out into space. At that time, I will need you to take control of the _Yellowjacket_. Keep it cloaked and remain hidden in this vicinity until I return."

"You're going out... _there?_" asked an astonished Janeway.

"Yes," Data responded. "I most certainly am." He tapped the Comm-system with one finger. "Data to Ducane," he continued. "Come in please."

"_This is Ducane_."

"I need a status report Commander," requested Data briskly. "What are your plans?"

"_The situation appears to be well in hand. The Overseer has no idea what's going on, and we've used power from the_ Relativity's _temporal core to enhance Deep Space Nine's shields. Commander Sisko has decided to vacate the area of subspace most vulnerable to manipulation by the Overseer. We are also temporarily supplementing their structural integrity. Since the Overseer can no longer easily attack the station, its plans are temporarily thwarted. He's lashing out rather randomly now_."

Data's response to the news was immediate. "Are you in contact with Sisko?"

"_Affirmative. He's using the ear implant from his Comm-badge_."

Through the windows in front of them, flashes of orange phaser fire continued to light up the star-studded darkness, with the intermittent bursts growing larger as the runabout relentlessly closed the remaining distance between them. There were also quite a few lengthy, glowing green clusters of energized tentacles reaching out of the newly opened pockets of subspace. Like long, slender fingers of energy they fished around in frantic attempts to reach the unexpectedly mobile space station. Some of them periodically connected with DS9's shields, but the anti-graviton enhancement continually dispersed a majority of those impacts almost immediately. And as the station continued to move steadily away from the original point of attack, less and less of the Overseer's claw-like tendrils were finding their mark. The enemy attack suddenly appeared weak, confused and more than a little desperate.

"Please request that Commander Sisko order his weapons officers to cease fire," Data requested almost eagerly. "I'm going to put up a detailed, isomorphic projection of Deep Space Nine in the location just vacated by the original, which will hopefully be realistic enough to attract the Overseer's attention. If he is curious enough to investigate and chooses to meet me there, I can attempt to communicate with him and possibly negotiate a way out of this rather unpleasant situation."

"_Acknowledged. Anything else?_"

"Not at this time." Using the _Yellowjacket_'s enhanced sensors, Data watched the cloaked Deep Space Nine continue on its straight line course away from its previous position. The former Cardassian space station was cruising directly toward the wormhole entrance that connected Bajoran space to the Gamma Quadrant. "Continue to transfer power from the _Relativity_'s engine core and assist Commander Sisko in moving the station safely into the Gamma Quadrant. I must admit, his decision to make use of the _Relativity_'s resources in order to do so is indeed an _excellent_ idea."

Both he and Janeway watched as the wormhole exploded suddenly into existence, prodded out of its invisible slumber by the pair of moving objects touching its outer event horizon. Its core glowed brightly with intermittent flashes of bright white bursts while huge clouds of sapphire energy whirled fiercely around its center. Seconds later, all of Deep Space Nine vanished inside. The coruscating energy vortex continued to spin colorfully and bright while the invisible _Relativity_ proceeded to follow the space station inside the outer event horizon. Then the wormhole closed as swiftly as it had appeared, leaving behind the angry, still clutching claw-like tendrils of the Overseer. All of the glittering green energy strands slowed noticeably and paused in their movement as the alien entity controlling them struggled to determine specifically just what had happened to its former target.

Data flashed a confident android smile at Janeway. "I will be back soon Captain," he promised.

"Good luck Data," Janeway said with her usual enthusiasm. She transferred all helm controls to her station and promptly took over control of the runabout.

Data nodded in reply while his body dissipated and then vanished in a blaze of bright green transporter energy.

* * *

Eddington arrived at the main deflector control station to find both Ensigns - Paulson and Reynolds - lying unconscious on the floor. Eyes flicking back and forth while searching for any additional signs of hostile activity, he entered the room with his phaser rifle at the ready. He noticed almost immediately that the service hatchway he had utilized only a day earlier was hanging wide open. Angrily he knelt down and swiftly checked the components comprising the anti-graviton computer system. Obviously, based on the progress of the battle, its function had been fully restored and yet his instinctive fear drove him to check the arrangement of the isolinear rods inside anyway.

"Drop the rifle Eddington." The female voice caught him by surprise and he whirled at the sound of it. His own weapon stayed down and that was the _only_ reason he remained conscious. Lt. Jessica Ingram was clearly not pleased to see him. "I won't tell you again," she cautioned him. "Drop it... _now_."

"Who are you?" the edgy Lt. Commander asked curiously. He studied her curiously as he reluctantly complied with her request and cautiously placed his rifle on the floor. The woman was human and wearing the familiar gold-topped uniform common to Starfleet security. She had expertly concealed herself in a small corner of the room and he had completely missed her in his haste to get to the equipment. "You're not part of _my_ security force," he challenged her. "I recently reviewed all of the personnel files on crewmen and women assigned to Deep Space Nine, and you're not listed anywhere."

"Does it really _matter_ who I am?" asked Ingram dryly. "The first thing you checked upon arriving here was the status of your sabotage, even though you already knew - based on the progress of the battle - that it had already been fixed." Her eyes flicked upward toward the ceiling. "The surveillance monitors are still on, so you're going to be very busy later using your high level clearance to delete them again - along with all evidence of my own presence here." Her lip curled upward in a confident smile. "That is, you had better delete it if you don't want Paulson and Reynolds here to discover that you haven't even bothered to check whether or not they're still alive."

"Sabotage?" asked Eddington rather clumsily. His gaze shifted uneasily from the bodies of the two prone crewmen back toward the visual recorders built into the ceiling. Although his attitude and expression continued to project boldness, rivulets of sweat ran down his forehead and his growing nervousness with the unexpected confrontation was blatantly obvious. "_I_ am in command of all Starfleet security on board this station," he declared forcefully. "Why would _I_ sabotage anything?"

Ingram shook her head with complete disdain. "Now _there_ is a heavy load of complete drivel," she told him heatedly. In her right hand was a phaser, but her left held a suddenly whirring tricorder. "Your RNA has a distinct and measurable flux pattern Eddington," she pointed out. "So I already know that you were transferred here from a mirror universe to replace our Michael Eddington, and that you're probably taking orders directly for the Overseer."

"Who the _hell _are you?" snarled Eddington, his anxiety level skyrocketing in response to her statement.

"Remember to _delete_ the security logs in this room if you want to protect your hidden identity," Jessica Ingram advised him. "And if I were you, I wouldn't recommend attempting additional sabotage. I'll be watching you, after all, and it doesn't take a whole heck of a lot to make a man like Odo suspicious. In fact, I suggest that you look for an entirely new career Eddington. I predict that the days remaining for you in Starfleet are numbered, regardless of what you choose to do. This isn't, after all, your real home."

The mere appearance of this woman - who _somehow_ knew so many secret things about him - sent waves of terror through Michael Eddington's nervous system. "Who _are_ you lady?" he demanded to know angrily, moving impulsively toward her in an aggressive charge that stopped as soon as the stunning force from her weapon's bright orange phaser beam struck his chest. Caught between shock and surprise, he felt his entire body go numb and crumpled limply to the metal deck plating. His body landed between the pair of still unconscious Ensigns.

Jessica smiled down at Eddington's motionless body with more than a little satisfaction as she double-tapped her Comm-badge. "Ingram to Ducane... I'm ready to return."

"_Stand by Lieutenant_."

Seconds later, she dematerialized in a shower of swirling emerald energy particles.

* * *

As soon as Jake and Nog overheard the first few comments from passers by - about Deep Space Nine 'entering the wormhole' - their curiosity naturally got the better of them. The two young men peered out from beneath the table they had been using as their security blanket, eyes drifting up toward the windows on the upper level. Anyone who had ever actually traveled through the Bajoran wormhole could tell instantly that the speculation was true. The bright, familiar patterns of energy and colorful clouds of coruscating particle drift easily confirmed it. The Promenade was still shaking unpredictably from the turbulence of their passage through, but not nearly as badly as it had been earlier during the Overseer's all-out attack.

"It's _true_ Nog," gasped Jake with growing awe as he emerged from beneath the table and stood up. "We're in the wormhole!"

Next to him, his Ferengi friend chuckled nervously. "It is a bold tactical move," grinned Nog. "Will the alien creature be able to follow us through? If not, then we're home free."

"At least until the _Dominion_ sees us," Jake noted wryly, causing his friend to suck in his breath sharply.

Jake leaned down long enough to help Molly crawl out. Her long dark hair had fallen forward over her face and she shook it out of her eyes as she smiled and stood up. Together the three of them moved to the closest spiral stairwell and began to climb toward the upper level. Once again the station shook violently around them, and they could hear metal wall supports groaning in protest at the constant stress being placed upon them. However, the rumbling leveled off quickly as the shields continued to provide enough protection to keep everything reasonably stabilized.

Even so, Jake held onto Molly's hand tightly. "I'm okay," she reassured him.

"We promised your Mom we would look after you," Jake told her. "And I'm not sure all the shaking and rattling is over yet. So hold on tight to me, Molly!"

Once the three of them successfully ascended the stairs, they moved immediately to the windows and stood there, simply enthralled. It was one thing to travel through the wormhole in a space vessel, but this was all of _Deep Space Nine_. There was a thrill of excitement in Jake's gut that had never been there before. For a moment they just stood there while watching the brilliant display of twirling energy particles and the dazzling, shifting patterns of light.

"How far into the Gamma Quadrant does the wormhole reach?" asked Nog curiously.

Jake gave his friend a stern look of disapproval. "Ms. O'Brien _taught_ us that already," he pointed out.

"Oh yes," nodded Nog, remembering. "Seventy thousand light years. Is that far?"

This time the younger Sisko simply rolled his eyes in response.

In front of them the opposite end of the wormhole blossomed into existence as Deep Space Nine moved out of the lengthy energy conduit and emerged in the Gamma Quadrant. The starlit window view quickly returned to normal as the space station continued rumbling forward. Leaning closer, Jake peered intently out the window with his interest clearly piqued.

On the curving walkway surrounding them, others had also climbed the stairwells and moved in front of the windows to look out at the new, unexpected view of the Gamma Quadrant. Even Quark had temporarily left his bar untended long enough to come up and take a brief, doubtful look outside.

Still holding Jake's hand, Molly smiled up at him with her usual youthful enthusiasm and vigor. "That was _soooo_ beautiful," she declared firmly, grinning from ear to ear. "Can we do it again?"

"I would think so," grinned Jake enthusiastically. "Sooner or later, it makes sense that we will need to go home."

Karg had also ascended to the upper level and was standing next to the three of them. "Truly a _valiant_ battle has been fought on this day, with the brave Commander Sisko defending so many innocent civilians," the Klingon said proudly. "My people will sing _songs_ about this day, I tell you! They will sing many songs about this great city in space that is now hanging on the distant edge of forever!"


	14. Amok Time

_**Author's Notes: **Sometimes I find it hard to believe that all of THIS (points to story) began with a simple, traditional locked door murder mystery. But it DID! * Cackles evilly * And now... well, now we have a full fledged crisis on our hands! So without further delay, let's see what happens next!_

* * *

**Star Trek: Reign Of Terror**

**Chapter XIV: Amok Time**

* * *

Vacated Deep Space Nine Position, Near Bajor, Stardate 48252.7

* * *

The instant Captain Data materialized out in open space, he utilized his link with the Preserver network to open up several nearby microscopic subspace rifts. Unlike the Overseer's creations, Data's wormholes were only temporary and completely non-threatening to the local environment. He swiftly accessed his memory database and the detailed computer specifications of Deep Space Nine stored within. Once he had the complete layout of the Cardassian space station available in his positronic thoughts, his next move was to activate one of the massive, isomorphic projectors concealed in the Preserver realm. Targeting laser beams shot through one of the microscopic pockets in subspace and instantly began to define a recognizable outline.

Seconds later the familiar view of a Promenade appeared around Data as a new, imaged version of the space station was slowly but surely constructed - starting from the center and expanding relentlessly outward. Within seconds a habitat ring appeared, linked to the central tower, followed shortly thereafter by a docking ring complete with upper and lower pylons. Since the isomorphic projection process was in reality a combination of both holographic technology and replicator functions, it was an extremely useful function. In less than sixty seconds, the android quickly put in place a space station that looked and felt almost completely like the original. Its walls were solid, and the shapes and content of its metal superstructure were all identical to the real space station. The only differences to be found were the missing people and a lack of internal power for its systems.

Other than that, Data's replication of Terek Nor - the original Cardassian name for the Deep Space Nine - was nothing short of perfect. Isomorphic projections were the exact same process that allowed him to transmit a solid replica of himself over vast distances and manipulate it just like his own physical body. On this occasion, however, the process had been used on a significantly larger scale. The projection process was an ability that he had relied upon heavily since first discovering the Preserver's unique, hidden technological realm. In this case Data hoped to draw the Overseer's attention away from the real Deep Space Nine and its abrupt departure through the wormhole. In that regard he was most fortunate. The alien creature's weaving graviton tendrils - all of which had been pointing directly toward the exact spot of the wormhole's recent disappearance - turned tentatively back toward his position.

Seconds later the newly constructed recreation of Benjamin Sisko's space station was completely surrounded by all of them.

Data waited patiently, floating quietly in the center of the non-atmospheric, zero gravity environment of the simulated Promenade. His hope was that the Overseer would find it a familiar place of reference, and yet distract him from his determination to attack long enough for some sort of negotiation to take place. Having studied the frequencies used by the alien to communicate in meticulous detail, the android accessed his positronic link to the Preserver network and began broadcasting on all of them simultaneously. **The surroundings are meant to be familiar**, he stated reassuringly. **Here is a place where we can negotiate with one another in friendship... in good faith**.

_"THERE WILL BE NO NEGOTIATIONS."_ The voice thundered in response within his positronic matrix. Data simply paused for several seconds and then continued his attempt to communicate.

**Why do you attack us?** He wondered curiously. **Why must we obey unconditionally? Can we not come to some sort of agreement that is beneficial to both of us?**

In front of him a gravimetric pocket opened and one of the smaller, glittering green tendrils emerged. The familiar dark-robed form of the Overseer popped into existence in front of the android Captain, and yet Data remained extremely cautious while in the presence of the strange, alien life form. Using the second microscopic hole that he had created in subspace, he siphoned enough energy from Preserver batteries to generate a powerful, spherical shield of energy around his body. A cloud of sparkling violet hued energy particles temporarily obscured him, vanishing quickly as the force field stabilized into an invisible bubble of protection. In front of him, the Overseer's robed head swung first to the left, then to the right, and finally back to Data. Its blazing red eyes would have intimidated a normal man, but the Captain was fully in control of his positronically generated emotional responses.

_"I WANT MY EQUIPMENT. SISKO DID NOT COMPLY. HE KNEW MY PRICE FOR FAILURE."_

**Why do you resort to violence?** wondered Data curiously. **Why have you enslaved sentient beings like the Zygopterrans... are you aware of the harm that you have caused to their culture?** He studied the robed creature curiously, now fully aware that it was only a tiny projection of a much, much larger entity.

_"I **SAVED** THE ZYGOTS. IN MANY REALMS THEY WOULD BE EXTINCT WITHOUT MY HELP."_

**You saved their lives, but you took away their freedom and their future**.

_"I DO NOT WISH TO HARM LIVING BEINGS, BUT THEY MUST OBEY."_

**Why?**

_"I COULD KILL EVERYONE THAT I ENCOUNTER. IT IS VERY EASY FOR ME TO ABSORB ENTIRELY THE GRAVITONS THAT HOLD THEIR WORLDS TOGETHER. IN RETURN FOR SPARING THEIR LIVES, THE LIFE FORMS MUST LEARN TO SERVE MY NEEDS. IF THEY DO NOT, THEN THEY ARE OF NO USE TO ME."_

**Why?** Data decided to continue pressing the alien, hoping to learn more about its personality and belief system. Without more information on this mysterious newcomer to their galaxy, it would be difficult for him to make an informed decision.

_"I CREATE... I SEEK TO EXPAND MY OWN EXISTENCE. TO DO SO I NEED TO OCCUPY INHABITED SPACE. IN EXCHANGE FOR SPARING THEIR LIVES, I REQUIRE THE ASSISTANCE AND OBEDIENCE OF THE LIFE FORMS."_

The android digested the information thoughtfully, noticing that the alien was communicating with him at a far greater speed than it used while interacting with humanoids. He continued to try and convey his point of view in an effort to discover just how much of the alien's behavior was ignorance and how much was its personal choice to oppress. **You FORCE the life forms to work for you; their service is compulsory. That is not fair to them**.

This time it was the Overseer's turn to be skeptical and challenge Data's point of view. _"WHY IS IT NOT FAIR TO THEM? WITHOUT ME THEY FIGHT EACH OTHER UNTIL THEY ARE ALL DEAD... THEIR WORLDS END UP BLASTED AND LIFELESS. THEN NEW LIFE SPRINGS UP FROM THE ASHES AND THE CYCLE REPEATS..."_

The android Captain rarely answered a question with a question, but he chose to do so on this occasion. **Why do you not serve THEIR needs?** he asked curiously. **Why do you not instead work for them? **Like powerful searchlights, the brilliant white glow still emanating from both of Data's eyes was sufficient enough to illuminate the entire central area of the Promenade. Without any generated power to access on his simulated version of the space station, the light from Decker's continued presence was proving to be his only source of light. And yet the alien's robed form still flickered with an eerie absence of light, appearing blacker than black.

The Overseer did not answer him for a minute, but when he finally chose to the android was caught completely by surprise. _"I AM THE OVERSEER. MY TEMPLE-TO-ALL-PLACES MUST BE COMPLETED. **YOU** AND YOUR PEOPLE IN THIS GALAXY WILL ASSIST ME."_

One of the larger gravimetric tendrils smashed through the outer hull of the Promenade and slammed heavily into Data from behind. His force shield crackled angrily with violet light as the force generated by the impact threw the android easily across the entire central, common area. He crashed into the far wall, and the external perimeter of his force shield easily pierced the thick metal. One of the merchant shops was directly behind it, completely empty of merchandise, owner and customers. Since Data's computer layout of the space station was an older one, it was impossible to tell which specific shop he had landed in. Nevertheless, the dislodged entrance doors of the spacious room crashed down upon his protective force field and collapsed it partially, temporarily pinning him to the floor.

_"I AM THE OVERSEER. YOU MAY BE ARTIFICIAL LIFE AND DIFFERENT FROM THE BIOLOGICAL LIFE FORMS, BUT YOU ARE STILL A LESSER BEING. SERVE ME OR DIE!"_

Building an updated computer model of a new force field within his positronic matrix, Data altered the geometric parameters of his protective barrier just enough to allow him to throw aside the heavy twin doors. Rising to his feet he walked back out onto the Promenade, using the bright light from his eyes to shed light on as much as possible. The bright glow from his eyes chased a majority of the shadows to the far edges of the cavernous room. **WHY am I a lesser being?** he asked with growing, genuine interest. **Is it because my size is smaller than yours, or simply because I am less powerful than you are?**

_"YOU ARE MORE POWERFUL THAN YOU APPEAR," _the Overseer responded. _"I WATCHED AS YOU INVADED MY TEMPLE-TO-ALL-PLACES... WATCHED HELPLESSLY WHILE YOU USED YOUR RESOURCES TO TAKE MY PEOPLE FROM ME. YOUR ABILITY TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM MY INFLUENCE WILL NOT LAST. YOU WILL **PAY** FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE"_

The light from Data's eyes blazed outward, revealing a yawning, cavernous opening on the far side of the Promenade where the larger tendril had completely torn through the outer hull in order to attack him. It was still waiting there, glowing brightly with emerald fire while waiting and holding its position menacingly at the center of the opening it had created. The Captain could see open space through the breach in the station's hull, and in the background other tendrils were clearly visible tearing the docking ring apart. There was no significant debris of any kind to be found. As soon as pieces of the station separated from the larger, central projection they simply vanished into non-existence.

Data realized that he was watching a preview of what would happen to the real Deep Space Nine if the station returned to this spot. The Overseer now possessed almost total control over the local subspace.

**This is WRONG**, insisted the android Captain as his positronic anger began to escalate. **You cannot simply impose your will on others without consequences. Do you know anything about the moral guidelines followed by many cultures? Are you aware of their efforts to define and abide by an ethical code of behavior?**

_"I KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT THE LIFE FORMS!"_ snapped the Overseer. _"I HAVE BEEN AROUND SINCE THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING... IN THE END THEY ALWAYS CHOOSE TO DESTROY EACH OTHER."_ Once again its hooded head turned and surveyed the remaining, undamaged areas of the Promenade. _"WHERE HAVE THE LIFE FORMS FROM THIS PLACE GONE? I NEED THEM TO REPLACE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU TOOK FROM ME."_

**NO**. Data placed as much electronic emphasis as he could on the word. **You cannot simply take what you want and impose your will on other sentient beings. Others you have encountered may have bent to your will, but they had no choice. We do have a choice and we will not comply**.

_"YOU **WILL**,"_ the Overseer insisted. _"DO YOU THINK I DO NOT KNOW HOW YOU HAVE EVADED ME IN THE PAST? DID YOU FOOLISHLY THINK THAT I WOULD FAIL TO DISCOVER THE SOURCE OF YOUR POWER?"_

The creature raised a robed arm and waved its long, hooked fingers in a casual gesture. Instantly the remaining shapes and forms of Deep Space Nine faded out of existence. Data took notice of the ease and swiftness of the alien's attack - with one simple motion of a hand it had used its power to close one of his subspace rifts. **The Preserver network is hardly the source of my power**, replied the android curtly. **It is only one resource available to me, and I use it in cooperation with countless other living beings. You could learn a lot about the benefits of working with people, if only you would take the time. Given the vast knowledge of time and space that you have acquired during your lifetime, why would you not seek to improve your knowledge base? We can teach you a lot.**

_"YOUR RESOURCES ARE INDEED IMPRESSIVE AND WELL PROTECTED,"_ admitted Data's opponent. _"I DO NOT YET HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO BEGIN DESTROYING YOUR HIDDEN SUBSPACE TECHNOLOGY, BUT I CAN PREVENT YOU FROM UTILIZING IT."_

Less than a second later Data's second wormhole closed as the Overseer continued its manipulation of local subspace. The Captain's link with the Preserver network was instantly severed, and his protective force field collapsed in a brilliant flash of glowing indigo energy particles. Floating once again in the vast emptiness of open space, he watched the robed form of the alien creature turn slowly in space and fix its burning red eyes directly on him.

* * *

Captain Janeway was watching closely from her position within the nearby, cloaked _Yellowjacket_. The instant that Data's forcefield dropped she locked the runabout's targeting scanners on the android and beamed him on board. It was difficult, because the presence of so many large gravimetric disturbances was causing plenty of interference. There was no specific expression on her fellow starship commander's face as he materialized within the small Starfleet vessel, but he was clearly not pleased.

"Thank you Captain for 'watching my back'," he told Janeway sincerely.

She shrugged her shoulders indifferently. "As long as my holographic matrix can still hear your thoughts, I will continue to provide assistance."

"My connection to the Preserver network has been broken," pointed out Data. "Without it we are limited to our own limited abilities and the resources of this runabout." He reseated himself in the cockpit, glancing out the windows just long enough to verify that the cluttered sea of weaving graviton tendrils still occupied the hastily vacated, former position of Deep Space Nine. The undamaged remnants of his simulated replacement of Deep Space Nine had dissolved completely away the instant the first wormhole had closed. "I need to restore my link with the network as soon as possible," insisted Data. "If there is to be any chance to bargain with that creature, it will not happen unless I can match its power. I need the resources and information that are available there."

**V'Ger and I are still with you**, Decker signaled reassuringly. **Our link has not been severed**.

"You'll never be able to defeat an enemy like that no matter how many resources you tap," Janeway cautioned him. "Its colossal size alone makes it more than a match for anything that we could ever hope to throw at it." She paused, thinking the matter through much more quickly using her electronically enhanced mind than her human counterpart ever could have. "We need a bargaining chip of some sort... a way to injure or limit its expansion if it doesn't cooperate." She hesitated, clearly frustrated. "And if we exercise that option, I don't know that we will be able to protect the populations in other universes from its anger and reprisals," the _Voyager_ Captain continued. "In any case, our priority _must_ be to protect our own citizens from this creature's negative influence."

The android nodded slowly. "The Overseer has been around for eons, possibly since the beginning of time as we know it. Its mind was obviously made up long ago as to its belief system. Without a genuine incentive to change, I am certain it will continue carrying out its agenda of murder and enslavement." He glanced down introspectively at the fully lit helm and navigation controls. "For the first time since this crisis began, I am not certain of what to do next," he admitted. "Our anti-graviton fields only injure or deflect the smaller part of a much larger creature... and even then on a temporary basis."

A warning alarm sounded and both Janeway and Data shifted their attention to the sensors. "Dozens of small ships," she announced. "They're emerging from within the subspace rifts."

"Zygopterrans," Data confirmed, watching the swarm of small, moth-shaped vessels gather together within the clutches of the graviton tendrils. He referenced his sensor display for additional details. "The RNA flux from the biological tissue of many of those pilots indicates that they are from more than one alternate universe. We have discovered another of the Overseer's tactics. When our opponent cannot physically reach an enemy, he sends the Zygots to do his dirty work for him. That is why the Dominion has been crushed in his Temple universe - quite probably in many others as well."

Over a hundred of the enemy vessels hesitated for a few minutes and then changed course in unison, banking sharply in a very familiar direction. Janeway was watching them every step of the way. "They're heading directly for the Bajoran wormhole," she observed. "Obviously the Overseer plans to continue his efforts to destroy Deep Space Nine."

"I believe Commander Ducane will object to that policy," replied Data firmly. He maneuvered the cloaked _Yellowjacket_ behind the enemy fleet and followed them into the wormhole.

* * *

Gamma Quadrant, Deep Space Nine, Stardate 48252.8

* * *

The lights in Main Operations went dark the instant that Deep Space Nine emerged from the wormhole. Several emergency lights automatically activated, but they provided only minimal illumination. Major Kira had finished putting out the fire next to her, noticing as she finished her work that almost every console had also lost power. Everyone remained silent for several seconds - almost as though they were waiting for something to happen. Finally, Kira glanced inquisitively at Jadzia Dax in the dim lighting.

The Trill waved her hands helplessly. "We're alive," she declared triumphantly. "I hadn't expected our structural integrity to hold up at all through a turbulent trip like that one," she admitted. "However, we did pay a price for that... all command functions, including sensors and internal security, are currently off-line."

"Why?" Sisko moved away from the station's thruster console, his curiosity piqued. "Have we sustained any damage?"

"Because sometimes _risk_ has consequences Benjamin," said the dark-haired Lieutenant with a frown. "I _never_ expected you to try and take the station through the wormhole. I'm more than a little surprised that we're still in one piece." She pointed at the dark sensor display in front of her. "Somehow our shields held up well after the danger point when they should have overloaded. I have no idea how or why we were able to maintain power, but fortunately for us we did."

"I was counting on outside help," nodded Sisko enigmatically, refusing to comment further.

"The Prophets?" guessed Kira.

Even though the Commander knew full well that Bajor's Prophets hadn't been the intervening party that saved them, he refrained from saying anything more. The secret information he knew only because of his association with Captain Data continued to be a complex barrier preventing him from fully telling even his senior officers the full truth. The reality of the situation really bothered him, but he brushed aside his frustrations because there was no way to change the circumstances. "Why is internal security off-line?" he asked curiously. "That was supposed to be a priority, along with life support."

"Kira to Odo," said the Major after tapping her Bajoran Comm-badge. "What's going on with internal security? We're not reading anything up here... everything appears to be off-line!"

"_How the hell am I supposed to know?_" snapped the station's Constable, his voice conveying a great deal more frustration than he had intended. "_Eddington was in charge of the Promenade and Ops... I've been busy organizing and supervising security details all over the habitat and docking rings_."

"Copy that Constable," replied Kira. Her fingers touched the gold Comm-badge again. "Kira to Eddington. Mr. Eddington, where are you?"

There was a much longer pause this time, and for a while the Major didn't think he was going to answer. Almost a minute ticked by before she received a response. "_Sorry for the delay_," Eddington replied finally. "_I'm up in deflector control with Paulson and Reynolds. An unknown blonde woman wearing a Starfleet security uniform appears to have attacked and stunned them during the battle with the alien. She attempted to take our anti-graviton field off-line. We weren't aware of any difficulty until she crashed all of the internal security systems... apparently whoever did this wanted to erase all traces of her presence from our database_."

The comment raised a red flag of warning in Sisko's mind - something didn't entirely ring true. He was about to ask Eddington additional questions when Ducane's voice unexpectedly crackled in his ear. "_Lt. Ingram is the guilty party in this case_," he explained. "_I beamed her over to protect your deflector systems during the attack. We had to make certain your anti-graviton field held up until the station was far enough away from the Overseer_." The Commander was not entirely satisfied with Ducane's rather vague explanation either, but he dared not push the matter any farther with Kira, Dax, and an entire Ops crew surrounding him.

"Assign damage control teams to get everything back up and running as soon as possible," Sisko ordered promptly. "I don't think that the alien creature can follow us all the way into the Gamma Quadrant, but it would be best if we didn't take any chances." He shook his head, frustrated at having to choose between poisons on this particular day. "I'm also certain that if we stay here for any length of time, our presence will almost certainly be interpreted as a hostile act by the Dominion."

Kira nodded, her thoughts returning briefly to the starship _Odyssey_ and its recent destruction. "We'll get to work and restore power to all systems as soon as possible Commander," she promised.

The Commander shifted his gaze to Dax. "Old Man, I know you're busy up here overseeing damage control. Nevertheless, why don't you humor me and take a runabout on a tour of the immediate area until we can get our own sensors back on-line. I'll take over for you here."

"Aye sir," she said in reply, pausing just long enough to read his expression.

Sisko noticed her watching him. "Just in case the Dominion decides to show up," he continued. "It would be nice to have at least _some_ advance warning if we're going to be blown into tiny pieces."

"It's nice to see you maintaining your sense of humor," Dax replied, standing up and heading toward the elevator at the rear of Ops. Slowly the lift descended toward the lower levels as she began her short journey toward the nearest runabout pad.

* * *

It didn't take long for everyone to realize that the crisis was far from over. Sisko and two Bajoran crewmen had just gotten primary sensors back on-line when Dax sent her first message. "_There are dozens of ships pouring through the wormhole Benjamin_," she informed them. "_There are exactly one hundred and twenty-five of them. They're all very small and we don't have any configuration on file that matches their design. All of the vessels have weapons armed and ready to fire_."

Sisko felt a twinge of uncertainty in his gut - even knowing the _Relativity_ was still out there - as he listened to her message. In front of him the sensor console readouts began to light up, one after another as power finally came back on-line. "Get back here Dax," he snapped instantly, motioning toward Kira. "We'll restore full shields around the station as soon as you've docked."

"_Aye aye Benjamin_."

"What if those ships _attack?_" wondered Kira, her dark brown eyes flashing with concern. "An unknown configuration means unknown firepower, and we still have damaged systems."

The Commander nodded in acknowledgement of her point and activated a Comm-link on the console in front of him. "Sisko to phaser crews," he announced in his strongest, most confident deep baritone. "If those ships attack this station, you are authorized to return fire. Photon control, however, should continue to stand by." Both of them waited patiently, surrounded by the rest of the Operations crew, wondering what in the galaxy was possibly going to happen next.

Major Kira was standing next to him, watching both Dax's consoles and her own. "The runabout just docked," she stated with a firm nod. "I'm restoring our shield strength back to full power."

Less than a minute later a swarm of Zygopterran ships attacked Deep Space Nine. The first wave moved in from above, firing their energy weapons in unison down toward the deflector bubble below them. At least three dozen scarlet energy beams burned across the outer edges of the shield grid. The combined might of all of those ships had a considerable impact, and once again Ops shook around Sisko as the attack rocked the station. A blaze of sparks exploded out of the newly repaired sensor console and its systems went dark again as they subsequently lost power.

"_That was us_," Ducane informed Sisko, his voice mildly distorted in the Commander's ear. "_We can continue to assist you in this fight, but in order to do so we need your sensors off-line. The less information your systems record throughout this battle, the better_."

"Dammit!" the Commander shouted angrily, watching the tactical console. "Sisko to gun crews... main sensors have gone off-line again. Target your weapons manually and fire at will!"

Two dozen additional Zygotian vessels moved in beneath Deep Space Nine, firing upward at the station's lower hull. Again the space station shook violently from the combined attack. Spears of orange phaser fire lanced out in reply, some of which struck the enemy targets and forced them to change course. The strange, alien vessels did not appear to have traditional Starfleet-style bubble shielding, but even so their hulls appeared highly resistant to directed energy discharges. They flew past the station clearly undamaged and joined up with the first wave of ships. Like an angry swarm of insects, those first fifty vessels moved into a new formation and paused, waiting as the other half of their fleet began its own attack run.

"Believe it or not Commander, this situation is actually _worse _than our previous confrontation in the Alpha Quadrant," observed Kira. "Those enemy ships are targeting specific points in our shielding, and the anti-graviton field in our shield grid is useless against their version of our phasers."

_That's precisely why the Overseer sent them_, Sisko thought grimly to himself. "Phaser crews, maintain fire. Protect the station at all costs," he snapped tersely into the open Comm-link. Watching the tactical console closely he was tempted to swear. "All hands, brace for impact!"

This time they got hit from all directions simultaneously. The enemy fleet split into four groups and hit them from port and starboard, above and below. For the first time in as long as he could remember, Sisko almost lost his footing. The station shook violently from the weapons impacts and Ops lost several more valuable consoles to explosions and subsequent electrical fires as a direct result of the crossfire. He caught the dark look of concern on Kira's face just briefly before refocusing his attention on the tactical console. Deep Space Nine's gun crews continued to return fire, and this time half a dozen enemy vessels lost power. One of them attempted to reignite its engines and exploded in a spraying crimson flower of matter/anti-matter annihilation. _One hundred twenty-four to go_, Sisko thought cynically.

"_We're supplementing you shield power Commander_," Ducane stated reassuredly. "_Lt. Ingram has analyzed their attack pattern, and we're confident that the _Relativity_ can keep you fully protected_."

Obviously Sisko couldn't address Commander Ducane directly, but he felt it important to try and pass along his concerns anyway... even if only through the use of casual comments. "I don't think we can take too much more of this," he growled irritably. "Those ships aren't going anywhere, and eventually our shields will fail under that kind of sustained attack."

"So far our shields are holding at 90 percent," Kira replied with a confident nod. "Without sensors, I have no way to estimate how long they'll hold. There is simply no way to analyze the alien weapons fire and come up with an estimate." She stared at Sisko suddenly as an idea struck her. "Sir, if I take off in a runabout and stay _within_ our shield grid I could use the runabout's sensors..."

"Request denied!" he growled instantly. "We've got more than a hundred twenty enemy ships out there. If they do manage to punch holes through our shields, you wouldn't last for a minute."

"_You're about to get a reprieve_," Ducane informed him unexpectedly. "_Things are going to look hopeless for a moment or two, but hang in there Commander. The situation is about to improve considerably_." As the _Relativity_'s First Officer spoke the words additional alarm klaxons began ringing and the sensor console in front of Sisko came briefly back on-line.

"It's the _Dominion_," groaned the Commander with a frustrated shake of his head. "I'm showing fourteen attack cruisers closing rapidly on our position. They'll be here in less than two minutes."

"What do we do now?" wondered Kira with a puzzled glance Sisko's way. "Perhaps we should try and make it back to the Alpha Quadrant... could we accomplish that during a battle?"

Sisko scolded her briefly for the not-so-amusing comment. "Do you _really_ believe we should return to the other side of the wormhole and take our chances with that graviton tendril farm?" he asked her.

"Well it's better than staying here and..." The Major's voice trailed off as the sensors bleeped loudly for attention. "The smaller ships are disengaging," she said delightedly, clearly caught by surprise. "They're going after the incoming Dominion fleet."

The two of them stood there and watched with astonishment as the enemy Zygopterran fleet changed course away from their latest attack run on Deep Space Nine. All of the remaining functional enemy vessels rocketed suddenly away from the station and directly toward the incoming Dominion fleet. Sisko paused to catch his breath, and as he did so the sensor console went dark again. "_Damn!_" he snarled with growing frustration. "This is _no_ way to fight a battle."

"_Oh yes it is_," Ducane countered with a light chuckle. "_The Zygopterrans_ hate _the Dominion Commander Sisko. So all of those ships are going to fight each other, and we're moving into position so that the_ Relativity _can protect you. As long as Deep Space Nine is sensor blind everything is okay. We can fire through our cloak, but we don't need Major Kira or any of your other people detecting us._" He paused, trying to find the right words to communicate what he was trying to say. "_I admit this has been a bit unconventional so far, but we don't have a lot of choices. _Keep_ your damage control teams busy Commander, there are still genuine repairs needed to many of your systems_."

Sisko took another deep breath and decided to give Ducane's plan a try. He forced himself to calm down while tapping the Comm-link controls. "All gun crews, cease fire. Repeat, cease fire."

As he spoke the words, another transmission indicator suddenly lit up on the communications board. "_Dax to Sisko_."

"Sisko here."

"_I'm still in the_ Orinoco. _I've left the elevator in the raised position, ready to launch. We've only got partial sensors due to some sort of local jamming effect, but until yours come back on-line I can monitor the battle from here_."

The Commander evaluated the situation, doing his best to estimate how much danger she was in with the runabout sitting out in plain sight. As long as their shields held, Dax would be fine. And right this minute Deep Space Nine was not even under attack. "Can you route a copy of your telemetry to our Comm-station screens?" he asked inquisitively.

"_Affirmative. I'll link you in immediately, Benjamin_."

"Let me be perfectly clear Lieutenant," Sisko told her sternly. "If any of those ships return and attack, I want that runabout back inside this station whether our sensors are back on-line or not."

"_Understood_."

Both Sisko and Major Kira had a front row seat at the next stage of the fight. Kira waved to a damage control team as they appeared on the rising elevator, motioning for them to begin work on the primary sensor consoles. The four Starfleet technicians immediately began opening service hatchways on the equipment and inspecting the electronic insides of each for damaged or destroyed components. There was still a distinct odor of burnt electrical insulation hanging in the air, but most of the smoke from the earlier fires had already been cleared away by the ventilation systems.

Sisko watched the telemetry being fed directly to them from the _Orinoco_ with fascination. The Zygopterran fleet had engaged the fourteen Dominion attack cruisers with unexpected ferocity, totally confusing the Jem'Hadar. In this particular universe, the Dominion had never encountered the strange, insectoid aliens or their unique technology. The fast moving Zygotian ships swirled and twisted in a series of complex, coordinated evasive patterns around their opponent's attack vessels much more easily than the larger ships could in turn change course. As a result, the Dominion cruisers began to quickly suffer damage... something they were completely unused to.

And yet the Jem'Hadar shrugged off their opponent's initial success and continued to fight. The white hot polaron beams fired by their ships instantly destroyed every Zygotian vessel they touched. The only major difficulty facing them was the sheer number of ships comprising the enemy fleet... there were still more than a hundred roving targets to choose from. The Commander watched the battle progress for another few minutes and then glanced sharply at Kira. "Are those ships still in firing range?" he asked her curiously.

The Major nodded in reply. "Affirmative Commander." "Perhaps if we sped the process along... should we resume firing, this time at both fleets?"

He was sorely tempted to, but shook his head negatively. "Not as long as they're ignoring us we don't. Provoking the Jem'Hadar at this point would be the _worst_ thing we could do."

Ducane quickly agreed with him. "_Continue to stand by and watch your sensor grid closely Commander_," he stated reassuringly. "_We'll do the firing for you - right through our cloak_."

The instant that Ducane made his announcement, Zygopterran ships began vanishing from the sensor map of the battlefield at a much more accelerated rate. Most of the _Relativity_'s targets were the smaller insectoid vessels, but every once in a while a Jem'Hadar attack cruiser would catch a head on shot from the Timeship's disruptors. Even as Sisko glanced up toward the viewscreen, he noticed one of the Dominion ships suddenly wheel over on its side and explode in a cataclysmic blast of expanding white energy. One of the other beetle-shaped cruisers was also clearly disabled, and the others continued to receive a pounding from the ferocious, blazing red energy beams repeatedly lashing out from the center of the Zygopterran fleet.

The ferociousness of the Jem'Hadar soldiers was clearly obvious as their efficient counterattack continued to meticulously pulverize at least one dozen opponents with each passing minute. The size of the enemy Zygopterran fleet shrank rapidly, giving the Jem'Hadar more and more confidence. They had already scanned Deep Space Nine and were fully aware that the space station had moved to their side of the wormhole. The only possible way their government would interpret such a move was as a hostile act. Without knowing what had taken place on the opposite side of the wormhole, there was no way for them to know that Benjamin Sisko had chosen to move the station as a last ditch, defensive measure. Thus the Commander was not at all surprised when two of the Dominion fleet's attack cruisers suddenly broke off from the main group and accelerated directly toward the station. "All gun crews, prepare to fire on the incoming targets at my command," Sisko said with growing apprehension. "But understand... do _not_ fire without my direct authorization to do so."

A massive emerald disruptor beam suddenly flashed into existence, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. The ferocious blast sliced one of the incoming attack cruisers completely in half. Seconds later, both of the remaining segments exploded into glowing fragments. "_Our primary disruptor just took out one of those ships_," noted Ducane informatively. "_Stand by Commander, we're targeting the other one_."

Working quickly, Sisko switched his personal computer screen's image to focus specifically on the approaching enemy cruiser. Ducane had barely finished his sentence when the Jem'Hadar warship suddenly exploded in a violent ball of fire. For a very brief moment in time - primarily because he knew specifically what to watch for - Sisko was able to spot the rough outline of the _Relativity_'s undamaged, bubble shielding. After that, all that remained of the two ships was a large cloud of expanding, glowing debris. Thousands of charred metal pieces tumbled, end over end, in all directions much closer to Deep Space Nine than the Commander had ever hoped the Dominion would get.

"There's too much going on out there," Kira decided, glancing at Sisko with genuine concern. "Commander, we are going to have to fire while we still have time... if we don't then it's plainly obvious that whoever survives this spitting match is going to come after us."

"_I concur Benjamin_," Dax added using the still open Comm-link. "_With that many ships in the area, it's too hard to keep an eye on them all... certainly we can't without full sensors_."

"Hold _all_ defensive weapons fire until I instruct you otherwise," replied Sisko firmly, raising his right hand for emphasis. His stern gaze met Kira's flashing eyes, and the two strongest personalities on Deep Space Nine both tried to read each other's emotions. "_Trust_ me," the Commander insisted softly.

Seconds later the Zygopterrans took out two more Dominion attack cruisers, and the Commander nodded with satisfaction as he watched the pair of sensor traces on his screen break up into tiny, glittering electronic bits. Kira was also watching a copy of the _Orinoco_'s sensor transmission, and she raised her eyes hesitantly as a third Dominion vessel suddenly exploded into a cloud of glowing fragments. The white bloom of its engine explosion continued to expand for quite some time after its demise, spreading debris and active radiation in all directions. "What kind of firepower are those alien ships using against the Dominion?" she wondered curiously. "They're proving to be a lot more effective against the Jem'Hadar than our own weapons were."

"It would be easier to conduct a more detailed evaluation if we had our sensors back on-line," decided Sisko brusquely. Two of the damage control officers flinched and actually appeared noticeably rattled at his statement. They were working as fast as they could after all, and were already unsettled by the combat situation. The Commander walked over to the spot where they were working and put a hand on one man's shoulder. "It's all right," he stated reassuringly. "I'm just a bit frustrated by the situation."

"We'll pull through Commander," said one of the men optimistically. "We always do."

"That's the spirit," said Sisko approvingly.

The brutal struggle continued for another ten minutes, with both of the alien fleets working steadily to reduce the size of the other. Neither side had any idea that they were also suffering damage from the weapons aboard the hidden, cloaked _Relativity_. If they had managed to suspect someone else was present, then there wasn't really anything that they could do about it. The ferocious battle was a violent, consistent non-stop exchange of blazing weapons fire - the kind of fight where only the very lucky survived. Anyone could die in an all-out battle, after all. And on occasions such as this one - where neither side was willing to surrender - the casualties could often include everyone.

In the end it boiled down to four Dominion cruisers against three dozen of the smaller Zygopterran ships. When he saw the rapidly dwindling numbers, Sisko finally nodded with satisfaction. "All gun crews, target your phasers manually and fire on the _smaller_ vessels," he ordered. "Do not - I repeat do _not_ - fire on the Dominion."

Kira raised an eyebrow at the comment. "We're _helping_ the Dominion now?" she asked with disbelief.

"I can't think of a better way to be neighborly," Sisko replied without raising his eyes from the sensor display. He watched as the remaining ships continued to blast holes in each other. The Zygopterrans took the worst of the fight during the next salvo, with an unexpected assault suddenly erupting from Deep Space Nine's phaser cannons. More than half of their remaining fleet disintegrated in a series of massive antimatter explosions, and the entire area surrounding the space station rapidly began to fill up with floating pieces of glowing, radioactive debris.

The Zygopterrans finally gave in... sort of. Half of the remaining baker's dozen - six small ships - rammed two of the remaining four Dominion vessels, blowing all eight vessels instantly into glittering, smoldering bits. The other seven wheeled around, pointing themselves deeper into the Gamma Quadrant, and accelerated swiftly to warp speed.

Watching them speed away, Kira shook her head with clear dismay. "The Dominion rules a lot of space over here," she commented. "I don't think those ships are running away to anyplace safe."

"Trust me, they wouldn't be any safer in the Alpha Quadrant," growled Sisko angrily. "If the Dominion hadn't intervened, they would have continued to attack a Starfleet outpost." His heart sank as the remaining two Dominion attack vessels turned sharply toward Deep Space Nine and accelerated into an attack posture.

"We just _helped_ them..." Kira gasped, trailing off in utter disbelief.

Sisko shrugged. "In their eyes, _we _are invaders as long as we are over here, no matter how we behave."

"_They're arming weapons!_" Dax shouted in warning, distortion slightly clouding her elevated tone.

The Commander watched the two ships come in with his emotions completely repressed; coming to the inevitable conclusion that always eventually pushed its way to the top in life or death situations... _survival first_. He opened his mouth to order the gun crews to fire on the Dominion...

...just as four brightly lit crimson photon torpedoes slammed into the lead attack cruiser, knocking it violently off of its attack run. Seconds later, another salvo of torpedoes struck the second vessel, blowing it instantly apart. A follow-up attack was not long in coming. Orange phaser beams cut into the first ship, blowing off one of its already damaged nacelles and cutting deep burns into its primary hull. The violet and soft blue lighting of the Jem'Hadar vessel's exterior systems faded slowly away and - completely unpowered - the surviving ship began to drift. Major Kira smiled with relief as she turned to face Sisko. "Good news Commander. The _Enterprise_ has arrived," she announced proudly.

"_That was for the good people of the _U.S.S. Odyssey," stated Captain Jean-Luc Picard, his voice resounding imperiously through Sisko's still open Comm-link.

Seconds later, all power and currently active systems in Ops lost power _again_.

In the subsequent darkness, Kira couldn't see Sisko but she definitely heard him.

"I've had about enough of this," the Commander fumed. "Once power is restored Major, I want you to beam all of the graviton equipment that we transferred over from those cargo ships out into space. And after you have confirmed that it's out there, our people manning the phaser cannons can feel free to blow it all into smithereens."

"Yes sir," she replied cheerfully.

* * *

The enormous debris field and residual radiation surrounding Deep Space Nine was astonishing to behold. Nevertheless, Captain Data trusted the _Yellowjacket_'s main computer to auto-pilot the invisible runabout aboard the similarly cloaked _Relativity_. Commander Ducane and Lieutenant Ingram met him in the shuttle bay, and both of them smiled appreciatively upon seeing their long lost Captain once again. "It's good to have you back aboard sir," Ducane admitted, leaning closer so that he could study the Captain's face more closely. "With respect, what the devil is going on with your eyes sir?" he asked, somewhat taken aback by the eerie white glow flaring within each of them.

"It is good to be back," agreed Data before answering the question. "In order to speed my study of the Preserver's hidden database warehouse, I have temporarily linked myself to another sentient entity that dwells there... deep within the folds of subspace. The resulting 'eye glow' is something that I did not expect, but it is something that I am gradually getting used to. It only bothers me now in the mornings, when I see myself in the mirror while shaving."

Ducane appeared rather perplexed, but Lt. Ingram recognized the android's lame attempt at a joke instantly and laughed uproariously. Returning her manner swiftly to a professional attitude she snapped to attention. "We've accumulated plenty of new information to brief you on sir."

"Upload it into the _Yellowjacket_'s main computer." The Captain shook his head regretfully, wishing sincerely that the circumstances were different. "Unfortunately, Captain Janeway and I will be unable to remain here for long... we docked just long enough to provide you with log updates and transfer over our latest batch of telemetry. After that we will be back on our way, this time exploring farther into subspace as I attempt to learn more about the Preserver network."

"Do you really have to go without us?" wondered Ingram somewhat dejectedly. "I hope you realize, we could just as easily take the _Relativity_ in there." The prospect of exploring the alien realm in detail caused her to grin with obvious anticipation.

"This vessel and its crew _must_ stay with Commander Sisko and provide support for Deep Space Nine," objected Data. "We have now seen firsthand just how powerful this Overseer is. The _Enterprise_ will no doubt remain nearby to provide additional cover, but Captain Picard does not know the entire story." Regretting the necessity of his decision he shook his head firmly. "We have already recruited too many people to our cause on this mission... there is no guarantee that memory adjustments will work in all cases. I do not like having to rely upon them."

"None will be needed in this case," Ingram reassured him, glancing down at the data padd she held and its latest information updates. "I briefly shut down Deep Space Nine's power systems one last time and scrambled most of the sensor telemetry in their database. Both the Dominion and the Zygopterrans had jamming technology in place, so no one will ever be able to say for certain just what caused the information loss. And after my own latest visit, the duplicate of Michael Eddington I confronted had no choice but to delete the internal sensor logs. Those records won't pose a problem for us either."

Despite his usual android efficiency and poise, Data actually looked surprised at the comment. "There is a duplicate of Michael Eddington?" he repeated curiously.

Ducane laughed light heartedly at the Captain's reaction. "You've been busy, we've been busy..." he grinned sheepishly in response. "Let's just say that Zygopterrans and their attack vessels aren't the _only_ objects the Overseer is capable of shifting between universes."

"Understood." Data shifted his gaze back to Ingram. "What about additional temporal anomalies?"

"There have been very few, and those were all insignificant in the grand scheme of things," the Lieutenant stated informatively. "This entire event in history started out with timeline disruptions, but as things have progressed it's becoming more and more of a classic pre-destination paradox. We were apparently _supposed_ to be here in some way, shape or form. The problem is, the _longer_ we remain here the more likely it is that _we'll_ be the ones who inadvertently begin to cause additional disruptions to the timeline. We need to remedy this situation pronto and then get the hell back to our own century."

"Unfortunately, the Overseer problem may not be resolved in a short period of time," Data cautioned her. "Without a meticulous examination of the subspace network and its resources, I cannot know for certain whether or not we can bring about a satisfactory resolution."

Ingram turned the padd she was holding and held it specifically so that he could see the colored graph at the bottom of its display. "We _have_ to find a way," she insisted with grim determination. "Otherwise, things are going to get really, really cockamamie... and I mean screwed up to a degree so badly that even our allies in the 31st century will never be able to correct it all."

"That is precisely why the Janeway hologram and I need to take the _Yellowjacket_ directly inside subspace," Data pointed out. "There is no other way for me to assimilate and process information quickly enough to deliver workable solutions in a timely manner. Right now we have a stalemate in progress, and if Commander Sisko can get Deep Space Nine safely back to the Alpha Quadrant we should be able to maintain that deadlock for at least several days."

Ducane paled slightly at the suggestion. "The _Overseer_ is still back there..."

"Yes, but his manipulation of subspace is limited to Deep Space Nine's former position," the Captain replied. "Obviously the station cannot remain here with the Dominion so sensitive to intrusions into their space. My suggestion would be that they return to a _different_ location in the Alpha Quadrant."

Lt. Ingram nodded enthusiastically in full agreement with his suggestion. "It took the Overseer _weeks_ to redefine subspace in the old spot," she commented. "If they move back to a new position, he'll have to start all over. The station's personnel would still be vulnerable as it practices, so I suggest they leave the anti-graviton field active all the time. Commander Sisko can also retain the option of raising the deflector shields in the event that they are attacked again."

The Captain glanced toward the still open shuttle bay and its glowing, protective forcefield. "What about the remaining, disabled enemy ships out there?" he asked curiously. "They have sensor logs too."

"But those logs no longer contain _accurate_ information," chuckled Ingram. "I scrambled their data too." She shrugged her shoulders indifferently. "The surviving Jem'Hadar will no doubt be executed for screwing up anyway... _if_ their life support systems hold up until help arrives."

Data reviewed their conversation in detail and nodded with satisfaction. "Everything appears to be in order," he admitted. "I congratulate you two and your support staff on a job well done. I am truly sorry that I must leave again so soon, but we all have a considerable amount of work ahead of us." He shifted his blazing white eyes to Ducane. "Please pass the word along to Commander Sisko and request that he return to the Alpha Quadrant."

"I will," the _Relativity_'s First Officer acknowledged with a wry smile. "Since Captain Picard has arrived, we can keep the _Relativity_ entirely out of the way this time and allow the _Enterprise_ to enhance Deep Space Nine's shield grid during the return trip."

Ducane appeared as though he was going to say more, but he hesitated. Peering at the Commander more closely, Data noticed that there was a great deal of concern in his colleague's eyes. "What is on your mind Thomas?" the android asked curiously.

"I just have this really bad feeling that we're never going to see you again sir," Ducane admitted dejectedly. "This is the first time I can remember that you haven't shared your entire strategy with us."

"Do not worry unnecessarily about matters that are not yet settled," replied Data smoothly. "I most certainly plan on returning to the _Relativity_. After all, I have to shave in the morning."

This time, Data was pleased to discover that _both_ Ducane and Ingram laughed at his joke.


	15. Patterns Of Force

**Star Trek: Reign Of Terror**

**Chapter XV: Patterns Of Force**

* * *

_U.S.S. Yellowjacket_, Location Unknown, Stardate Unknown

* * *

Captain Data was quite busy for over an hour after the _Yellowjacket_ resumed its course away from the _Relativity_. Within minutes of departing, the runabout dematerialized into a concentrated data stream and rocketed through the Preserver subspace network. Data brought the small vessel back out into normal space near the outer edge of the universe - but this time on the opposite boundary that he had selected during his first visit out of the Milky Way. He kept the runabout stationary and waited while the Preserver's massive collection of sensors kicked into operation and busily began adding new information to his growing, three dimensional diagram now depicting countless thousands of galaxies and the vast distances between them. Tucked neatly within the subspace attached beneath normal space and time, the enormous glowing green tentacles of the Overseer - carefully concealed nearby - were also detected, located and added to the image.

Patiently the android waited as the _Yellowjacket_'s main computer continued to update its growing database of telemetry. As soon as Data had the information he needed the runabout plunged back into subspace and swiftly dematerialized back into the subspace network's transporter system. He had carefully pre-selected more than a dozen points from which to situate the _Yellowjacket_. Relying upon his usual android efficiency, the Captain moved the runabout back and forth across the vastness of the universe and paused at each stop just long enough to continue adding additional details to his map. Within an hour after their most recent departure from the Milky Way, Data's model of the Overseer's presence within their universe had grown extremely detailed and meticulously accurate. His fingers seemed to dance across the helm console as he swiftly programmed a new set of coordinates that would order the runabout's main computer to bring them to the very center of the universe... to the birthplace of all galaxies within the universe.

_They had quite literally moved back and forth across millions upon millions of light years._

Data was not so busy, however, that he failed to observe the Janeway hologram silently sitting next to him. "You are unusually quiet Captain," he observed. "Am I _that_ boring a colleague?"

She laughed at his joke, but it was blatantly obvious to the android that she was clearly bothered by something. "You're not boring at all," Janeway replied honestly. "As a matter of fact, you've become downright _relentless_ on this matter."

"Is there something wrong with that?" he asked curiously. "We need information in order to come up with the best solution to the problems caused by the Overseer's intrusion into our time/space."

"We just left an entire Timeship behind... a vessel crewed by trained personnel who could do this job much better than the two of us. Prior to that, we had Chief O'Brien and Doctor Bashir on board, ready and willing to assist us. But you left them behind too," countered Janeway, glancing at the side of his head inquisitively and watching while he continued working. "What are you up to Data?"

"I am not 'up to' anything," he stated factually, disagreeing with her by using his overly polite manner.

The hologram of the _Voyager _starship Captain folded both arms in front of her and smiled dryly at him in response. "Perhaps I should present a more specific question," she decided. "_Why_ do you feel like you have to solve this problem all by yourself?"

He turned in his seat just enough to face her, but fortunately the holographic simulation of Janeway was too close a replica of the actual person to be easily intimidated... even by his still brightly glowing eyes. "Chief O'Brien expressed concern about the possibility of venturing outside of our universe," he informed her. "I decided to respect his wishes not to travel that far... before this matter is settled, it is possible that you and I may have to."

"O'Brien is a willing member of _Starfleet_," protested Janeway. "Other assignments he receives are just as dangerous as this one, _especially_ after Deep Space Nine is unexpectedly plunged into the center of the coming Dominion war." She continued to study his demeanor carefully. "The _Enterprise_ showed up at Deep Space Nine, and other starships are sure to follow now that the problem near Bajor is escalating." She pointed sharply at the floor. "_This_ runabout could have remained behind and continued to monitor temporal incursions and provide Sisko with all necessary support. _Why_ didn't you bring your Timeship here Data? _Why_ have you isolated yourself from everybody who could help us?"

Data pondered the matter longer than she expected before answering. "I am the Captain. This is an extraordinarily risky assignment, and I do not wish to lose anyone. As a fellow starship commander, I am certain that you understand my misgivings about involving too many people."

A frown creased her brow. "I guess that depends on what specifically it is that you're planning to do."

"This crisis, Captain Janeway, will not be solved easily. It may require a sacrifice."

"How do you _know_ that for certain?"

The android stared straight ahead, continuing to program additional commands into the helm console. A bright green flash appeared briefly in the cockpit windows as they emerged from subspace and rematerialized near the exact center of the universe - as close as Data could safely position them. He was extremely hesitant to answer her, but could tell by her refusal to look away that she was clearly waiting for a response. "Because I already have a tentative strategy worked out. And if you remember, our last mission required a similar sacrifice," he said finally, refusing to look at her.

"Are you referring to our battle against the Sentinel?"

"Yes."

This time it was Janeway who swiveled in her seat and faced him. "Data, that wasn't the first Starfleet mission to take casualties. I am certain that an intelligent fellow like you knew well in advance before taking command of the _Relativity_ that a Captaincy _always_ comes with certain significant and unavoidable risks."

"I did."

Kathryn studied his terse expression with fascination. "That programmed emotion of yours is noticeably affecting you Data," she told him. "What the _hell_ is wrong with you? I would prefer that you tell me what's bothering you _before_ your doubts begin to adversely affect your judgment."

He decided to be honest. When talking with Kathryn Janeway, nothing else would suffice. "During the crisis with the Sentinel, I ordered Commander Frank Roberts to travel into the future along with the human duplicates he made of James Kirk and Jean-Luc Picard. Frank Roberts was a reasonably young, newly activated Data-Class android with minimal work experience - someone with his entire career ahead of him. And yet I ordered him to sacrifice all of that so that he could live in the future and serve on the Preserver Council of the Elders. Then I simply went back to my job commanding the _Relativity_ as though nothing had happened. Aside from a simple log entry, Roberts is now just a memory here."

"For those of us with compassion, it _hurts_ to lose people... and it always will," Janeway said softly.

"I didn't _lose_ Commander Roberts," Data objected, and this time there was noticeable android frustration in his chosen tone of voice. "I completely changed the direction of his entire future, and then I went back to my own job and - for a while - considered the matter to be settled." The android's eyes continued to blaze with bright, luminous light. "I will _not_ let anything similar happen again to someone of lower rank."

"So _that's_ why you decided to come out here alone with me... it's why you chose to bring a _hologram_ instead of real people."

"Yes Captain Janeway. That is indeed why you and I are here in the _Yellowjacket_ instead of the _Relativity_. Aside from a fully assigned crew, this shuttle possesses at least ninety percent of the resources available on my Timeship. What we have available will be sufficient to help us resolve this matter."

Kathryn looked suddenly down at her lap and touched the fingers of her left hand to her forehead, smiling as she considered his point of view. "I suppose I could choose to raise the issue of sentient rights as applicable to holograms," she teased with a hearty laugh. "Except that I've already listened to plenty of arguments regarding that very subject over the years, and my Doctor is admittedly much better at defending that particular point of view." She continued to chuckle lightly, causing Data to cast an uneasy glance her way. "Really Data, you're the perfect psychological patient," she added. "It wasn't hard at all to discover what was bothering you... except that with androids the initial symptoms are a little bit tougher to notice. I'm sorry I did not see them earlier."

Data shrugged indifferently. "Most of the time I display no emotion at all."

"Your behavior was a direct giveaway. You keep isolating yourself from others who might disagree with your assessment of the situation." Janeway tapped her forehead with the tip of one finger. "That's a bright red warning flag for someone in a command position, whether or not you're aware of it."

"Nobody is perfect."

"You make up for your imperfections with your directness," replied Janeway. "All I had to do was ask and you told me the truth. Most people would be much more evasive in matters of private emotional pain." She shook her head with admiration. "You are truly astonishing," she admitted. "I have seen humanoid life forms do some unbelievably atrocious things to each other over the years, and yet the compassion within _you_ is so strong that in virtually all cases you _exceed_ the humanoid norm."

"No," he disagreed. "A compassionate man would not have ordered Roberts to make so great a sacrifice. A compassionate man would have chosen himself."

"Someone who _lacked_ compassion wouldn't have given the situation a second thought," she corrected him. "Data, that business with the Sentinel was the _worst_ crisis I have _ever_ seen... and I've seen more than my share. There was _no_ possible way for you to board his ship without his computer detecting the intrusion and promptly eliminating you. The solution that you and Commander Roberts utilized to defeat the Sentinel was incredibly well thought out and a sound, tactical strategy."

"Once the crisis was past and the danger eliminated, I could have accessed Preserver technology and traded places with Commander Roberts. But I didn't... I let him talk me into letting him stay."

"Then he _volunteered_ to stay."

"Androids are not perfect, despite our reputation for efficiency. Perhaps Commander Roberts felt that I wanted him to stay. As a junior officer, perhaps he felt pressured by my superior rank."

"He made his own _decision_ to remain in the distant future. You have to admit, working with the Council of Elders presented him with an astonishing opportunity. We are, after all, _explorers_."

"This time _I_ will make the sacrifice," Data insisted. "This time whatever happens will happen to me."

"It will happen to _us_," Janeway corrected him. "That is, if you stop shutting me out."

"Shutting you out?" He feigned innocence, but it didn't fool her.

"Come on Data," she stated briskly. "Our shared thoughts are only a small fraction of your positronic brain's computing capacity. What other secrets are you keeping in there... what in the blazes are you planning to _do?_" He didn't answer her immediately, and that act simply drove her need to know even further. "If you can't talk to Ducane - your own First Officer - then I would at least hope you could discuss this matter with another Starfleet Captain."

"If I somehow mishandle this situation..."

"You're _more_ likely to mishandle it by letting emotions - even simulated ones - drive your behavior!" snapped Janeway. "If you can't tell me what you're up to, then I suggest we turn around and return immediately to the _Relativity_. Trust me Data, isolating yourself is a _bad_ idea."

He stared straight ahead for a moment, evaluating her analysis. Not surprisingly, once he pushed his electronic emotions aside, he found himself in complete agreement with her assessment. Most sentient, biological life forms might have persisted with the denial for a bit longer, but Data easily moved past those feelings. "What do you want me to do?" he asked curiously.

"You can begin by introducing me to that alien you're linked to," she decided. "Exposure to alien influences can adversely affect your decision making process too - even if the effects are not intentional. After I meet your friend, I think you should allow me full access to the rest of your thoughts regarding the matter of the Overseer. I want to know exactly what you're planning to do. That's the only way I can be certain you're not about to do something reckless."

Slowly at first, and then more confidently, Data began to fill her in on the details of what he had in mind.

Janeway smiled with growing admiration as she listened to him.

* * *

Deep Space Nine, Alpha Quadrant, Stardate 48253.1

* * *

_Station Log, Stardate 48253.1. I find myself sincerely relieved now that Deep Space Nine is back in Bajoran space. Our brief trip into the Gamma Quadrant left us isolated and vulnerable, even though it temporarily protected us from the alien creature that continues to stalk us. There was simply no way to predict that our enemy had the power to quickly recruit a fleet of alien ships and the influence to persuade them to follow us through the wormhole. Had we been forced to fight both that fleet and the Dominion, I don't think even our enhanced weaponry would have saved us._

_Captain Picard and the _Enterprise_ provided us with the additional power needed to stabilize our return trip through the wormhole. Both voyages were risky, but in my judgment they were necessary actions that have successfully protected everyone aboard Deep Space Nine. Once we returned, the _Enterprise_ turned its weapons on our previous location and collapsed the alien's subspace pockets. That action forced the strange, gravimetric tendrils that have repeatedly attacked us back into subspace. So far they have remained there, and our weapons along with those of the _Enterprise_ remain ready to fire in case they are needed again. We successfully destroyed all of the graviton equipment sought by the alien while still in the Gamma Quadrant, so even if the creature does choose to return there is no longer a way for him to get what he so desperately needs. Temporarily at least, we have thwarted his plans._

* * *

Deep Space Nine was successfully relocated on the opposite side of the Alpha Quadrant entrance to the wormhole, ending up a considerable distance away from its original position. Once that mission was completed, Captain Picard promptly beamed over along with his entire command staff. Holding new orders from Starfleet directing him to put an end to the crisis continuing to escalate near Bajor, the _Enterprise_ Captain was determined to get to the bottom of what was happening. With little choice but to cooperate, Sisko had authorized his own specialists to work closely with Picard's crew in an effort to specifically research the problem in greater detail. He had spent the last hours of the previous evening making certain that a large enough conference room was properly prepared so that everyone from both teams could assemble together and hold an early morning briefing.

For Sisko, it was a relief to see Chief O'Brien and Dr. Bashir again. He had missed both their personalities and their expertise, so he was quite pleased to see the two of them busily working with their _Enterprise_ counterparts, Lt. Cmdr. Geordi LaForge and Dr. Beverly Crusher. In the large conference room, Sisko was seated in the head chair at one end of the lengthy table, with Jean-Luc Picard in the other end seat on the opposite side. Situated in two rows between the two of them, LaForge and Bashir and Riker and Dax and Crusher and Data and O'Brien and Troi and Worf and Kira Nerys all took turns speaking their mind, one by one... each reporting on sensor records, previous encounters with the alien, and newly compiled data.

"The only thing our sensors detect when scanning this thing is gravitons," pointed out LaForge. "Since it emerges from subspace, in theory the entire creature hiding beneath could be virtually any size. Much of its substance is completely alien to our environment, so it is extremely easy for it to fool our sensors."

"What about that fleet of alien vessels?" Picard inquired curiously, glancing down at a list of items on a data padd setting on the table surface. "Where did they come from so suddenly... all those ships with an unrecognizable configuration and hulls comprised of an unknown metal?"

"They were piloted by a species previously thought to be extinct... Zygopterrans," replied Bashir. He displayed a computer simulation of a tall, blue and black colored insectoid on the main display screen. Two pairs of wings were tucked neatly along its backside. "This is a computer simulation of what the species looks like. We were able to identify them using biological samples transported aboard the _Enterprise_ from the debris field."

"Thought to be extinct..." Sisko trailed off deliberately, subtly prompting them for more information.

"It didn't make sense at first," admitted Beverly Crusher. Her long red hair cascaded down her shoulders in stark contrast to the bright blue of her uniform top. "The Zygopterran home world no longer contains any sentient life... Starfleet probes have successfully verified that. It's always possible that they relocated to a new home world, but we've seen no evidence of that. The fleet of ships emerged from _subspace_." She exhaled slowly, pausing briefly. "So I asked our main computer to scan for all known anomalies, hoping that there would be _something_ to give us additional clues."

Kira studied Crusher's attractive features as she paused. "And?"

"And..." Crusher shook her head with wonder. "There wasn't much to work with, but the computer did manage to identify a minute quantum flux in the RNA of each tissue sample. These are all strikingly similar to an electronic signature I recorded in Worf's RNA several years ago - after he reported on a series of unexpected, uncontrolled shifts between alternate universes."

The broad-shouldered Klingon bristled noticeably at her comment. "The Bat'leth tournament..."

"You believe those alien vessels crossed over from a _mirror_ universe?" Major Kira was cleary intrigued.

Crusher nodded. "From at least _five_ different alternate realities," she added. "It isn't just _one_ mirror universe we're dealing with here."

"So who's in charge of who?" wondered O'Brien. "Is this hooded alien creature giving the orders, or is it being controlled by these Zygopterrans?"

"Zygots," whispered Bashir discreetly to his friend. "They're also known as Zygots."

"According to Commander Sisko, the creature has been manipulating a great deal of the commercial merchant trade in this sector for quite some time now," mused Picard thoughtfully. "The Zygopterrans didn't show up until the alien needed them to pursue Deep Space Nine through the wormhole. I would speculate that the alien entity is in charge."

Sisko nodded confidently. "Agreed."

The station Commander was not at all pleased to be sitting there as the only remaining person in the room who knew the complete truth. However, even as a raw cadet Benjamin Sisko had heard the stories about time travel... including the famous case of a Starfleet Doctor who had once inadvertently altered _all_ of Earth's history. Since Dr. Bashir and Chief O'Brien had conveniently developed 'memory problems', Sisko found himself left with little choice but to fulfill his role as Commander Ducane's remaining temporal operative. It wasn't the best possible situation, but considering the circumstances he was satisfied for the moment. With the arrival of the _Enterprise_and the continued covert assistance provided by the crew of the _Relativity_, he was in a much better position to deal with the situation than during those first few days following the initial murders.

However, not being able to share his secret knowledge with Picard bothered the Commander terribly. Sisko still remembered his initial posting to Deep Space Nine, when he had almost exploded in anger at the Starfleet Captain over the matter of the Borg and the Wolf 359 incident. Losing his wife so suddenly in that furious conflict had rocked him emotionally to his very core, and for several years thereafter the Commander had lived with an almost obsessive denial of the incident. He had gone through the motions in his daily life and reluctantly played the role that Starfleet assigned to him. And although he had fulfilled his duties satisfactorily, his heart had no longer been in his career. Instead, it had been tragically, unexpectedly torn asunder on that dark day when he had lost _her_.

Seeing Picard again during that time snapped him sharply back into a reality that his subconscious mind had consistently, relentlessly urged him to ignore. Repressed feelings of shock, anger, and resentment boiled up inside of him and threatened to strip away his carefully trained, mental discipline. And even though he had managed to face Picard and interact with him, Sisko had _almost _lost complete control of himself. Though he had somehow managed to avoid ranting like a madman and thereby destroying the remainder of his career in Starfleet, he had selfishly brought up the subject of Wolf 359. Only after reading the pain still lingering behind Picard's eyes while talking about the Borg... only then had he discovered that the memory was just as devastating to the _Enterprise_ Captain as it was for him. And perhaps, since his stolen knowledge had been used to kill thousands of colleagues, the lingering emotions were even more troubling for Picard.

Shortly thereafter his encounters with Kai Opaka and the wormhole aliens finally shook him - once and for all - out of the 'tunnel vision' mentality that had driven and sometimes even controlled his life. Only then had he managed to find a way to forgive himself and begin to truly be a father to his son again. And because the Cardassians tended to behave like Cardassians, the _Enterprise_ had been forced to return to the station a second time. After the short conflict between Gul Jasad and Kira Nerys ended, Sisko's follow-up conversation with Jean-Luc Picard went much better and they had managed to part as grudging colleagues. But now that additional time had passed, Sisko had sincerely hoped on this particular day to use this latest crisis as an opportunity to actually connect emotionally with the Captain... to demonstrate conclusively to Picard and to himself that - once and for all - the demons once plaguing him had finally, truly been banished.

He and Picard could continue to work together as colleagues in a purely professional relationship. But Sisko was fully aware that both of them would be significantly more _effective_ as leaders if they also bonded somehow and shared a mutual respect for one another. Since he found himself with little choice but to keep secrets, he now saw that prospect slipping away from him. He desperately hoped that - before this chance too passed him by - he could find a way to offer Captain Picard an olive branch of some kind. He had discovered what all emotional beings eventually learn - that getting angry at someone is substantially easier than repairing the damage caused by such an act. Years ago, Benjamin Sisko had judged Jean-Luc Picard without first hearing the Captain's side of the story.

_And he had regretted it ever since._

The weight of command included resisting the temptation to do something foolish... to give in to the impulsive urge to make decisions emotionally. There were various methods available to maintain self discipline, but Sisko didn't need any of them on this occasion. Each time his desire to make peace with Picard tempted him to tell the Captain everything - about all of the gritty _Relativity_ details - he simply cast a quick glance in the direction of Lt. Commander Data. The original Data-Class android was seated at the table in front of him alongside the rest of his crew mates, an obvious and blatant reminder of just how easily a timeline could be corrupted. So much was coming, so much lay waiting for Starfleet and all of the Federation.

_Unless he gave in to the temptation to talk and screwed it all up._

"I'm going to recommend that Starfleet Command declare an emergency for this entire sector," decided Picard. "We'll continue deploying starships in key areas around the major population centers, and - at least for the immediate future - all commercial merchant trade will have to be carefully regulated."

Odo was standing in the background, near one of the large room's exit doors. "That decision probably will not go over well with the local government representatives, Captain," he predicted. "Many of them are already upset about the decaying condition of their financial markets... this will only make the lives of their investors tougher. And when they get pressured by angry members of their constituency, they will in turn complain to us."

"That's too bad Constable," stated Sisko adamantly. "We've dealt with those kinds of complaints before... just route them to my office. If we let that creature continue to kidnap and murder people, I _guarantee_ you the blowback will be much, much worse."

"Until Commander LaForge can complete work on our own anti-graviton field, the _Enterprise_ will remain within the perimeter of Deep Space Nine's shield," continued Picard. "If any additional subspace pockets appear, we'll use our weapons to promptly close them."

LaForge nodded. "Data and I expect to have a smaller version of the station's generator on-line and functional within two hours," he promised.

"What is stopping this alien from resuming its attacks on planetary populations?" wondered Major Kira. "Now that we've destroyed the equipment it was after, it's going to want to try and find new sources of people and supplies to meet its needs. If the alien sends more of those Zygopterran ships, _anyone_ in this sector could be at risk."

"That's why additional starships will be arriving," pointed out Riker. "I just hope we don't end up having to set up dozens of permanent anti-graviton fields around planetary populations. Obviously subspace is vulnerable to the creature's influence in this region, which means that it can appear wherever it chooses to. Once news of that leaks out, we're going to have plenty of concerned civilians."

For the first time during the crowded meeting, Lt. Commander Data spoke up. "It is likely we have bought ourselves some time," he speculated. "I predict that it will be some time before the alien returns."

"Why would you say that?" asked Jadzia Dax curiously. "The creature has been testing the subspace in this area for many weeks now. It may have suffered a temporary defeat, but it has obviously set its sights on the considerable amount of resources traded in this region. It _wants_ those resources very badly."

"The alien is indeed formidable - capable of manipulating both people and trade in order to get what it wants," acknowledged Data. "However, the considerable effort it invested in repeated efforts to obtain the cargo inventory aboard Deep Space Nine allows us to conclude that its own resources are limited." He turned toward Dax with a small smile. "In attempting to force us to comply, the creature has now lost not only the equipment it sought, but a significantly large fleet of more than one hundred allies. If those Zygopterran vessels did indeed come from more than one mirror universe, then the creature's control over those locations is even more limited. It will need time to regroup and plan a follow up attack."

"I agree," Dax nodded thoughtfully. "An intelligent entity such as this one would _not_ take the risk of wasting even more resources now that it knows we can fight back. It will come up with another plan... something that it hopes we will be unable to anticipate."

"_Time_ is all that we have gained," noted Picard dryly. "And probably not a great deal of it."

"Sometimes _time_ is all that we need," Sisko replied steadfastly. "I suggest that we make use of it."

Shortly thereafter, the debate ended and the meeting adjourned.

* * *

Michael Eddington arrived at Deflector Control to find that Paulson and Reynolds, the normal Ensigns assigned to the station, were currently off-duty. In their absence, a dark-haired Bajoran woman and a tall, thin Starfleet crewman had been scheduled to intently monitor the various status readouts. He was mildly surprised to see one familiar face, however, and cast a curious glance at Odo. "What are _you_ doing up here?" he asked curiously. "Trying to solve a mystery?"

"Yes I am," Odo replied in his usual, determined manner. "What happened here during the recent battle just doesn't make any sense to me." In one hand, he held an open, whirring medical tricorder. Waving the device's scanning probe around, he shook his head with obvious disbelief.

"What exactly is bothering you?" asked Eddington curiously, folding his arms and leaning against the doorway. In the background, he could see the Bajoran briefly watching their exchange. She promptly returned her gaze to her work and resumed monitoring the central control console.

Odo continued studying the tricorder readout for a few seconds longer. "The woman who was here during the battle managed to delete our internal sensor logs, but for some odd reason she made no other attempts to hide her own identity." He scratched his head curiously. "I've found fingerprints up here, traces of her DNA, and even a few blonde hairs on the floor. She left behind so _much_ physical evidence, in fact, that under normal conditions I'd be able to identify her almost immediately."

"But…?" Eddington remained as laid back as ever, using his deliberate speaking style to prod information out of a reluctant speaker. It was a practiced technique, and many times people didn't even realize he was subtly manipulating them. Even so, he was more than a little rattled by Odo's unexpected presence.

The shapeshifter was also an experienced professional, with a cautious and precise manner. "There's absolutely no record in our security database of anyone matching our saboteur's DNA sample. Everyone assigned to this station from Starfleet or Bajor _should_ be in our files, and all of the civilians from merchant vessels are scanned by our systems as soon as their ships dock and they pass through our airlocks. So _where_ did this woman come from?"

"I don't think alien insectoids are the _only_ life form our enemy is capable of shifting between universes." Eddington was uncomfortable with the announcement, but he decided not to try and conceal obvious information from Odo. To do so would instantly arouse the Changeling's suspicions. "I believe our opponent moved someone over to our reality hoping that she would be able to masquerade as one of us long enough to disable our anti-graviton field. Once I prevented her from doing so, she undoubtedly was immediately returned by the creature back to the realm she originated from."

"You're probably right about that," decided Odo.

"Are you finished here?" Eddington asked uneasily. "I asked a Starfleet work crew to stop by and help me insure that our saboteur left behind no residual tampering. We're undoubtedly going to need to continue protecting the station, so I've assigned them to conduct a level one diagnostic on all internal sensors. In a crunch, I don't want the entire system crashing again."

"Yes, I'm done," responded Odo crisply. He closed up the tricorder with a deep frown on his face and left Deflector Control. Eddington watched him go, and then turned his attention toward the familiar sight of the equipment. Beads of sweat began building on his forehead as he realized that - one way or another - his days on Deep Space Nine were numbered. Sooner or later Sisko would order everyone to undergo a detailed RNA scan, as station security searched for the telltale quantum flux of a universe shift. Once that happened, he would be revealed as the true saboteur.

Even if he wasn't discovered, then his life would be at risk once the Overseer returned. The alien was not fond of failure, and it knew many ways to punish those who disappointed it. Cautiously he began evaluating what he knew of the sector, wondering where he would go when the time came to flee.

* * *

_U.S.S. Yellowjacket_, Location Unknown, Stardate Unknown

* * *

In a bright pop of emerald transporter energy, the _Yellowjacket _materialized in normal space at its newest location. Data promptly verified their position and nodded with satisfaction, noting that his detailed schematic of the Overseer's presence in their universe was nearly complete. Standing silently behind the twin pair of cockpit stations was the ghostly, semi-transparent image of Captain Willard Decker. The android had taken Kathryn Janeway up on her request to meet his electronic colleague, introducing them to each other just before the runabout's latest shift to a new location. For some reason, Decker was not fond of the isomorphic process, so he was projecting a more traditional hologram.

By now, Janeway was used to Data constantly moving them almost instantly across millions of light years. "...cadets at Starfleet Academy have wondered for years what happened to you and Lt. Ilia," she said casually to the smiling three dimensional image of Decker. The first portion of her sentence had been lost somewhere deep within the constantly criss-crossing streams of data hidden within subspace.

Decker shrugged. **After I merged with V'Ger, I had nowhere to go**, he admitted. **Since V'Ger knew about the network, it seemed like the logical place to go. At the time I had absolutely no idea that I would someday inadvertently run into someone from Starfleet... but one day my electronic thoughts recognized Data's presence, and the rest - as they say - is now history**.

Kathryn gestured toward the positronic android, still busily constructing his multi-dimensional map of Overseer territory. "So you're _still_ linked to both V'Ger and Data, even now..."

**Yes**, Decker replied with a nod. **It has been many years since I've been human. Connecting to Data has allowed both V'Ger and me to walk in his shoes and see through his eyes**.

"Well you certainly don't have to feel self conscious," Janeway told him. "I myself am only a holographic simulation of a real person, composed primarily of photons. Right now the real Kathryn Janeway is busily living her life and working for Starfleet, in her own time and space. Data needed to borrow her experience, so he used his contacts in the Preserver future to create me."

**It is good to see that Starfleet has remained strong over the years**, Decker told her. **V'Ger felt a great deal of remorse after his initial approach to Earth, especially for the deaths that he caused. Merging with me helped him to truly feel those emotions for the first time**.

"Sometimes first contact situations can get a little tricky," agreed Janeway. "You should know that my starship, _Voyager,_ was named after the mission that merged you with V'Ger." She held up one hand and waved it casually. "We admittedly took the liberty of adding back in the missing letters, but you get the picture." She laughed with obvious amusement; her holographic thoughts drifting briefly back to her first days aboard the starship that she loved so much.

**Hmm... it doesn't feel any different**, decided Decker.

Janeway glanced into his eyes. "What doesn't?"

**Being so significant a part of Starfleet history**. He chuckled in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Kathryn was tempted to laugh again herself, but noticed the eerie, ominous clouds of bright green energy patterns suddenly drifting past the windows. "Where are we?" she asked curiously, refocusing her attention immediately upon Data. He was gradually moving the runabout farther inside the strange, alien phenomenon. A quick survey of the sensor panel revealed some very familiar looking readings, and the runabout's hull suddenly began creaking and groaning in response to the sudden, elevated presence of high concentrations of gravitons.

"We are now inside the body of the Overseer," Data responded. "I have located an area where he has permanently emerged from subspace into our own universe. Once he identifies vulnerable areas within subspace, he forces his way out into our space and then begins rapidly expanding his presence." He brought the small vessel to a stop. "It is here that I will try and contact our adversary one last time."

She turned and studied his profile, obviously perplexed. "Why? He has _attacked_ us at every turn Data. And you have to admit, we've got a pretty good idea of just what he's going to do to Deep Space Nine if we allow him near it."

**In order for V'Ger to fully understand the composition of the Overseer, he first needs to physically touch him**, pointed out Decker. **This is another example of why V'Ger must walk in Data's shoes and see through his eyes**.

"You're _not_ thinking of going out there..." Janeway trailed off almost immediately as Data transported himself directly out into open space. She could see him re-materialize through the cockpit windows and watched him float there for several seconds. Then she sighed with frustration and proceeded to reroute the helm controls to her computer station, once again taking control of the runabout. "I guess he _is_ thinking about going out there," the Captain concluded with a disbelieving shake of her head.

**He has _you_ to back him up**, stated Decker, closing his eyes and smiling. **We can FEEL the touch of the Overseer even now, using Data as a conduit. Trust me Kathryn Janeway, this is a VERY important step. We must determine specifically which physical laws apply when the alien intrudes on our space**.

"Nevertheless, the chances he takes..." Her attention focused like a laser on the Comm-station as it crackled suddenly to life with loud, varying patterns of distortion. The universal translator was set to recognize the Overseer's communication style, instantly converting his sudden outburst.

_"WHO ARE YOU? WHY ARE YOU HERE?"_ The familiar but confused voice of the creature crackled loudly within the confines of the small cockpit.

Janeway was reaching for the transporter controls and locking targeting sensors onto Data even as a graviton tendril appeared behind him and slapped his body hard. Spinning end over end, the android tumbled away into the darkness. Kathryn was tempted to swear but maintained her self discipline, reaching instead for the communications controls and locking helm coordinates directly onto Data's Comm-badge signal. Applying medium throttle-up to the maneuvering thrusters, she sent the small runabout roaring forward in swift pursuit of the android's rapidly receding figure.

According to sensors Data was already several thousand meters away when he was suddenly struck a second time. The newest attack by the alien creature caused him to fly even farther away from the _Yellowjacket_, and Janeway's growing concern transformed immediately into carefully controlled, determined anger. Even as she applied full throttle to the runabout's maneuvering thrusters, rapidly growing clusters of gravitons surrounded the outer hull and brought the small ship to a lumbering halt.

"Oh no you don't!" snapped Kathryn sharply. "Computer, activate our anti-graviton field immediately! Set it for one hundred percent dispersal!"

"_Acknowledged_," responded the electronically enhanced female voice of the vessel's main computer. "_Anti-graviton field has been engaged at one hundred percent_."

As soon as the _Yellowjacket_'s deflectors successfully repelled the nearby graviton field, the runabout accelerated forward and quickly closed in on Data. He was still tumbling through empty space, his arms flung outward in a useless effort to try and control his momentum. A sparkling, violet shield of energy had appeared around him, summoned immediately once the Overseer had chosen to attack. Fortunately, the temporary protection he had created via his ongoing link with the Preserver subspace network was proving to be enough. Data was intact and obviously unharmed, but Janeway remained frustrated despite spotting him through the windows.

"I can't lock onto him with targeting scanners!" she declared fiercely. "He's protecting himself from serious damage with that shield, but I can't transport him aboard as long as he keeps it in place."

Fortunately, Data was able to resolve the problem himself. His body dissolved and vanished into subspace, followed by the collapse of his protective deflector shield. Seconds later, he materialized inside the runabout cockpit, standing next to Decker. Even though his android emotions were carefully controlled, it was clear from his expression that Data was more than a little unsettled. "It is okay Captain," he said reassuringly to Janeway. "I have returned safely."

She swiveled in her seat and glared at him. "Please _don't_ do that again," she told him.

"I do not have to," the android responded, settling back into the empty seat to her left.

**V'Ger has touched the Overseer and has what he needed**, acknowledged the Decker hologram. **What about your map Data? Has it been completed yet?**

"I have accumulated sufficient information," announced Data. "All that remains now is for us to locate the proper point in space and time to implement our plan." He activated the runabout's warp drive and accelerated off toward the darkness beyond. Moving at high speed, the runabout quickly left behind the Overseer's graviton field. The absolute emptiness of the seemingly eternal void between galaxies once again filled the windows, and Data paused just long enough to drop the ship out of warp before bringing it to a complete stop.

"How can we be certain this plan will work?" Janeway was intently studying Data's map of the alien creature. "That thing is _colossal_ in size, and this map only documents the parts within range of the Preserver network's sensors. There are _millions_ of galaxies in our universe, and _thousands_ of other mirror universes out there. Most of them are just as large as this one."

"The plan will work," insisted the android confidently. "We must first force the Overseer to withdraw from our own universe. That is our first and most important priority. After that, we can attempt to negotiate a truce of some sort." He was busily programming a lengthy series of preset commands into the runabout's helm. "Unfortunately, the time has come for you and me to part company Captain... I need to return you to Commander Frank Roberts in the distant future. But before I do so, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you sincerely for all of your help."

Janeway shook her head negatively. "I think that I should stay. Remember, you shouldn't do this _alone_."

The Decker image smiled reassuringly. **I will watch him for you**, he stated sincerely. **I promise**.

"Your holographic matrix contains detailed records of everything we have discovered on this mission," Data reminded her. "If anything goes wrong, we need to be in a position to make another attempt. Roberts will be able to use the network and coordinate a second mission with Commander Ducane if there is a need to try again. If the worst should come to pass, the data you carry in your memory will help him avoid repeating our mistakes."

Kathryn studied his emotionless expression for a moment and then nodded. "Be _careful_ Data," she told him firmly. "I believe there is a good chance this will work, otherwise I'd never let you send me away. However, for the record I still believe you take _way_ too many chances."

"I _will _be careful," he promised. Then he activated the subspace network's transporter system and watched Kathryn Janeway dissolve away in a sparkling cloud of shimmering green energy particles. Almost instantly, Preserver technology transferred her holographic database to its final destination more than five million years into the future. The next time Frank Roberts checked in and noticed her arrival, he could re-activate her from his location there.

Neither Data or Decker chose to say anything further, both of them content simply to study the data flowing past his sensor screen. After approximately five minutes Decker glanced up, even though Data continued to focus his full attention on the data stream. **What is that?** asked the former _Enterprise_ Captain. He pointed a finger toward the cockpit windows, where a tiny point of bright white light could be seen shimmering in the distance. Data's eyes flickered upward and he too noticed the distant, shining beacon that had unexpectedly appeared out of the surrounding darkness.

"If you and V'Ger do not know what that is, then I certainly do not," admitted Data. "And whatever it is, it appears to be on course directly toward us."

Together the two of them waited curiously while the unknown light brightened in intensity while moving steadily toward them.


	16. The Conscience Of The King

_**Author's Notes: **No one could explore virtually ALL of creation without at least touching a little bit on the concepts of evolution vs. Intelligent Design. Most students at a forum I watched on television agreed that they would like to be taught both, and then allowed to make up their own mind. So I guess what I'm saying is that I didn't think I would be able to make this story complete without the unique confrontation that takes place in this Chapter. I sincerely respect everyone's right to make up their own mind, so if you disagree with some of the items covered and the stances I take, feel free to blow 'em off. But I hope that EVERYONE who reads this Chapter takes at least a few minutes to think - really think - about some of the things that most of us seem to take for granted these days. Life is truly astonishing, in ALL of its forms!_

_And yes, the new character in this Chapter is one more tip of my cap to "The Old Man". His feedback provided me with the inspiration for the Captain Hernandez substory, which I believe has become an integral part of making this on-line novel "not just your average Star Trek episode". Thanks Old Man! Take one last bow as we move toward the finale!_

* * *

**Star Trek: Reign Of Terror**

**Chapter XVI: The Conscience Of The King**

* * *

_U.S.S. Yellowjacket_, Location Unknown, Stardate Unknown

* * *

As Captain Data watched the shining, bright white light grow steadily closer, the Decker hologram still standing behind him leaned forward so that he too could get a better look outside. **This situation is so odd**, commented Decker idly. **V'Ger has searched through his massive data archive, and still has absolutely no idea what that light might be**.

"It is slowing as it approaches," noted Data, glancing briefly down toward the sensor console. "The runabout's scanners are detecting a flat surface area of some kind materializing beneath us. Other than that, the readings are confused. The platform's exact composition is unknown to this vessel's database."

**A platform...?** Decker trailed off with a slight chuckle. **I guess there are still many discoveries to be made beyond the boundaries of our galaxy... even for V'Ger**.

Double-checking the newest telemetry, Data nodded with obvious satisfaction. "There is now a durable surface area beneath the _Yellowjacket_, roughly fifty meters by fifty." He turned toward Decker with an odd, electronically generated expression of puzzlement on his face. "Readings also indicate Earth normal gravity and an oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere forming within the perimeter of the landing surface."

**Whoever or whatever is out there obviously knows much about where we originally hail from**.

"Stand by, Captain Decker. I am firing our maneuvering thrusters and attempting to land." Data worked steadily at the helm console and carefully lowered the small runabout until its heavy, reinforced nacelles settled comfortably onto the artificial surface that had appeared so suddenly beneath them. Once he was certain that the unknown alloy was capable of holding them reliably, he deactivated the thrusters and placed the vessel's command functions on encrypted standby. In front of them, the bright light continued to penetrate the windows and illuminate the cockpit's interior. An odd pattern of shadows played along the side of the android's face as he stood up and prepared to open the hatch.

**May I join you?** Decker asked with distinct interest. **It has, after all, been quite some time since I last participated in a first contact situation**.

Data activated the hatch's opening mechanism and waved toward the slowly opening doorway. "By all means," he responded with a confident nod. "I welcome your company." His thoughts drifted briefly to the possibility of taking along a phaser pistol, but he rejected the idea almost immediately. While linked with the network, he had plenty of protective shielding - along with unlimited additional resources - at his disposal. To take a weapon with him would only risk provoking an unwanted confrontation with whomever or whatever awaited them.

Together the pair of Starfleet representatives stepped cautiously out onto a solid surface they could not see. Except for the dazzling light in front of them and the smaller sources radiating from various points along the _Yellowjacket_'s hull, everything was completely black. As Chief O'Brien and Dr. Bashir had pointed out during the initial trip out of the Milky Way, there was a distinct absence of light in the vast void between galaxies... a darkness so pervasive that not even Data's enhanced vision could pierce it.

**I no longer require an oxygen atmosphere in order to survive**, pointed out Decker. **Do you?**

"No," replied Data crisply. "That is an excellent observation. I wonder why Earth normal conditions have been established here, including a breathable atmosphere."

"Perhaps because _I_ need them," snapped a new voice from directly in front of them. "Did that thought ever occur to you so-called _rocket_ scientists?"

Out of the darkness, a frail, elderly man walked slowly but steadily toward them. A soft ivory aura surrounded his body, and the source of the brilliant white light was clearly emanating from a tiny opening in the blackness just behind him. Silhouetted by the intensity of the blazing glare, the old man continued moving closer. The stranger was using a gnarled, polished wooden walking stick and - judging by the appearance of his face and hands - he appeared to be ancient beyond the ability to measure. There were dark brown age spots and countless deep wrinkles along the surface of his face and wisps of thinning white hair on his head. The soft white robes he wore failed to hide his extremely thin and delicate frame. And yet it was apparent this strange, old man retained an unusual poise and self confidence. Despite his vulnerable appearance it was obvious that he was not at all helpless.

"Your life signs clearly register as humanoid," pointed out Data after utilzing a hastily opened tricorder to scan the newcomer. "Who are you?"

"I am someone who doesn't come out very often any more," the stranger replied curtly. "Not very often at all, in fact. However, I don't consider it just another _ordinary_ day when I wake up and discover one of your starships flying through my front yard." He stopped in front of Data, curiously giving the android a complete and all-inclusive once over. "A sentient, artificial life form," he said with a distinct note of appreciation. "What a truly _astonishing_ achievement you are... it is an honor to meet you sir."

"I am Data, Captain of the Timeship _Relativity_," replied the android Captain helpfully, extending a hand. "And I feel it only fair to point out to you that the _Yellowjacket_ is a smaller scout vessel... _not_ a starship. In fact, it is known throughout Starfleet as a runabout."

"Whatever." The strange newcomer continued studying him for a minute longer and then decided to graciously accept Data's offer of friendship. Nevertheless, the aged, wizened stranger still manage to chuckle delightedly at the Captain's precise manner and efforts at clarification. "It is a pleasure to meet you Data. You can call me David if it helps to speed along our conversation," he added with a wide grin. "I don't have the opportunity to visit with folks very often anymore... I'm afraid it's too long a journey and I'm just not that curious these days."

The android studied the man who had referred to himself as David carefully. "Who are you?" he asked with growing interest. "What are you doing this far away from galaxies and superclusters? Do you live in this area? Are you aware that there is a powerful, dangerous entity living nearby?"

"One question at a time please, android Captain." The elderly man folded his arms slowly in front of him and continued to smile coyly. "Who do _you_ believe that I am Data?" he asked. "Think about all that you have learned over the years, and let's have your best guess. Who do _you_ think that I might be?"

Data took the stranger's advice and thought about the question carefully for several seconds before answering. "Many cultures - including numerous groups on my creator's home world - speculate regularly in their historical texts about an Intelligent Designer." With his interest piqued, this time it was the android who meticulously examined David up and down using his electronically charged vision. "Could _you_ perhaps be the Intelligent Designer whom many still believe exists?"

David laughed heartily, bending over at the waist and reaching out a friendly hand to clap Data lightly on his left shoulder. "I _might_ be," he admitted with yet another amused chuckle. "However, if you are familiar with the content within those historical texts, then you should already realize that you don't get to know the answer to that question... not _yet_ anyway."

"Why the obfuscation?" inquired the android curiously.

"If I am who you seem to think that I am then I have the right to answer your question however I choose to," David countered smoothly, smiling wryly. The wrinkles along both sides of his face crinkled in response to his expression. "And if I am not the Intelligent Designer..." he shrugged indifferently. "Perhaps there is no such being. Has your computerized brain considered _that_ possibility?"

Data nodded. "I have considered the matter on many occasions during my lifetime, and remain convinced that there is indeed an Intelligent Designer." He waved a hand at the vast darkness surrounding them. "I sincerely believe that someone created all of this, and everything surrounding it."

"As you should," David said with a firm nod.

"Whether that being still exists or not... that question has remained unanswered since the beginning of everything. Perhaps you can resolve the matter."

**What makes you so certain of your conclusion Data?** asked the Decker hologram. **If this person is just another life form and _not _in fact the Intelligent Designer, then how can either of you possibly say with such certainty that there _is_ in fact a Creator of all things?**

David pointed a long, slender finger directly toward Decker. "_You_ are the last one I would expect to take such a stance," he replied sharply. "Aren't you the very same entity that was originally created by a previously unprecedented blending of human consciousness and technology?"

**I am**.

"And wasn't the original, simplistic technology that inspired what you are now designed and constructed by humanity?"

**It was**.

In his left hand David continued to hold firmly onto his walking stick. With his right he thoughtfully stroked his clean-shaven chin. "I suppose you could be right Captain Decker," he mused. "Perhaps the abundant, almost limitless biological life scattered throughout this universe developed in the same manner as your technology and starships - by random chance. A bit of lightning here, an unplanned fire there, and slowly over time things began to take shape. Elements of metal no doubt combined during those naturally caused fires to form alloys and - over a period of thousands of years - even electronic circuits could have evolved. Perhaps life forms simply formed and steadily grew more complex in the same manner... prodded by that same randomness. The process involved would be very similar to the development of the computers you regularly use and the vessels your people fly through space."

Data shook his head negatively. "Our starships and the electronic devices aboard them were designed and _built_," he replied, correcting David's statement immediately. "All of them required complex planning and meticulous attention to detail in order to make them functional and capable of supporting biological life while they travel through and explore space. The creation of miniaturized electronics is a very painstaking and delicate process..."

"_Exactly!_" shouted David triumphantly, pointing this time toward the android. "The ancient texts from those many cultures that you mentioned earlier may not always be entirely accurate from a historical standpoint, but that is _because they were recorded by men and women who lived in those early civilizations... prior to their development and understanding of modern science_. The people who wrote down their observations in those long ago days did so from a primitive point of view. And yet almost unanimously each and every one of them declares that biological life was _created_. On Earth many of those documents state specifically that God created man in his _own_ image." He paused for a moment, long enough to place a hand alongside Data's cheek and feel the android's simulated skin. "If God did indeed create man in his own image..."

"...then _man_ - in the form of Dr. Noonien Soong - created _me_ in _his_ own image," Data said, his expression somewhat amazed by the sudden, illuminating thought. The android glanced toward the wizened, elderly gentleman standing in front of him. "_Is_ there in fact an Intelligent Designer? Are you the entity who created this universe, in all of its magnificent detail?"

"Data, have you ever seen a _giraffe_... or a _zebra_ for that matter?" wondered David in response. "Have you ever conducted a really thorough examination of the complex, precise DNA patterns that are needed in order to generate the proper shape, appearance, and content of those animals? What about a human being and the sentient mind that shapes each individual into a unique person?" He cackled gleefully as he watched the android's constantly changing electronic expression. "Talk about your _amazing_ coincidences... if your computers and starships cannot evolve naturally, then what in the _blazes_ could make anyone believe that something as complicated as biological life could? Are you telling me that - all of this time now - non-believers have continually wasted time advocating theories of random chance and evolution simply because life is biological and not technical? _How can they possibly have _any_ doubts whatsoever?_"

"What you say does make sense," agreed Data. "But it has remained unproven."

"Be it technology or biological life, I think that those who advocate the development of such intricate, complexity using only theories of evolution and random chance are in fact taking a miraculous leap that borders on the ridiculous. The non-believers would claim that those of faith are setting themselves up for inevitable disappointment. I, however, submit to you that the reverse is true. It is in fact the non-believers who - in the end - are unrealistic and somewhat lacking in clarity of thought." David's eyes flashed with intensity for a moment before his mood calmed somewhat. "But none of us get to know all the answers... at least _not_ in this life. And that is how things _should_ be."

"Why would an Intelligent Designer choose _not_ to reveal himself?"

"Perhaps he is no longer around. Perhaps his lifespan, like that of most biological life forms, is a limited one. Or perhaps... _perhaps_ he simply does not wish to," answered David insistently. "Perhaps he actually wants a little bit of evolution thrown into the mix. Perhaps he wants people to learn from the mistakes they make - historically that has always proven to be the very best teacher. And maybe, just maybe, he wants people to look up into the sky and wonder '_what if_'...?"

There was a brief pause as Data's android thoughts merged almost completely with Decker's via their shared link. The two of them instantly accessed the resources of the subspace network and reviewed more information in the space of several seconds than a thousand humanoids could have searched through during the passage of several years. "We do not discuss this subject much in our blending of cultures," admitted the android Captain. "There are a variety of different faiths - and many non-believers as well. We individuals usually keep our own beliefs private in deference to others around us. This is especially true for those of us who choose to serve in Starfleet. To do otherwise all too often risks offending those who are easily provoked by views that differ greatly from their own. The concept of an Intelligent Designer has always been a controversial one. Some are more open minded than others."

"That is indeed too bad," decided David. "What a _gift_ life is Captain; what a _remarkable_ achievement each and every birth has been and continues to be. _Especially _the creation of your own android race," the old man chuckled, studying Data's carefully shaped facial contours intently. "Noonien Soong, the scientist who constructed the first Data-Class androids worked very long and hard at his task with persistent, loving care. So what in blazes makes you think that the being responsible for the creation of humanoids and other life forms in this universe would feel or act any differently?"

"I do not know for certain that there was only _one_ Intelligent Designer... as I pointed out, beliefs differ considerably on this matter, nor has their ever been the discovery of any conclusive proof." Data watched David continue to chuckle with obvious amusement while he responded to the old man's speculations. "Many Earth cultures believe that there is one true God. That is why I had hoped that you might in fact be Him. Such a discovery would allow all of humanity to finally resolve many unanswered questions."

**I don't mean to interrupt, but WHY are we even having this discussion?** wondered Decker curiously. **Are there not MORE important matters pending?** His holographic image shifted position so that he could more closely observe the old man standing near Data. **Why are YOU here sir? Why have you chosen to contact us?**

The old man cast a wary glance in Decker's direction. "I am here," he stated very deliberately, "because I want to know _precisely_ what you two are planning to do to the fabric of this universe. And, more specifically, I want to know exactly _how_ you plan to handle the matter of the Overseer and what shape your end game with him will look like."

"Indeed," said Data. "Do you plan to assist us?"

"No," David responded. "But you are not leaving my presence until I am satisfied that you have answered all of my questions on this matter." He did not state specifically one way or another just how he intended to restrain them from leaving the vicinity if they chose to try. Instead, David left that issue unanswered... at least for the moment.

Data studied the weathered, wrinkled face of the elderly man for a moment, carefully sizing him up based on the little that he and Decker had learned during their short conversation. Then he held up a hand and tapped his Comm-badge. "Computer," he stated briskly. "Lock transporter targeting scanners onto the data padd that I left sitting on the helm console and beam it directly to me here."

"_Acknowledged_."

Several centimeters above his outstretched hand the small electronic padd materialized in a shimmer of glowing green energy. David began cackling hysterically with laughter as he watched the padd drop the rest of the way into Data's open palm. "Do the two of you take turns being in charge?" he asked with genuine interest and obvious amusement, stifling another laugh. "Out of a sense of fairness, does the computer on board your ship ever get to order _you_ around?"

Activating the padd's data screen, Data hesitated briefly. "I guess I never thought about it that way. Starfleet considers me to be a fully sentient, artificial life form and an individual being. The same cannot be said of the _Yellowjacket_'s computer, whose limited personality is based primarily upon 24th century technology." He handed over the data padd, which David accepted and instantly began studying.

The old man continued laughing. "I've got my own ways of learning things, Captain Data. Therefore I already know that - although the _computer_ on your ship may be based on 24th century technology - there are other components of your vessel that are significantly more advanced." He shifted his sparkling eyes to study Decker. "And then there is the matter of that Preserver subspace network, a realm whose resources have made you much more powerful than you ever should have been in your lifetime."

The android shrugged his shoulders. "If you know about the Overseer, then I am certain you are also familiar with the existence of temporal anomalies and the subsequent necessary evils of time travel. I consider myself fortunate to have discovered the existence of the Preserver race in the distant future and their network. Without their assistance, even the advanced resources available in my own century would never be enough to successfully combat this alien. I would have no choice but to try and kill him, or at least damage him significantly. And I have decided conclusively that I do not wish to do that."

David returned the padd to Data after examining its information for less than thirty seconds. "Your solution is an admirable one," he decided, with new respect obvious in his chosen tone of voice. "Believe it or not Captain Data, I sincerely _like _this plan of yours. Keeping things simple is almost always the best choice... the universe gets complex and intertwined all on its own soon enough without help from anyone else." Peering closer at the android, the corner of one side of his mouth curled upward. "I am curious... what made you decide with such fierce determination _not_ to kill it?"

"Starfleet officers prioritize violence as their last option," Data replied truthfully. "There are many different varieties of sentient life, and that is taking into account only those beings who exist within the confines of my home galaxy. On many occasions, we have actually gone well out of our way to accommodate other aliens very different from ourselves - allowing them to thrive when we could instead have destroyed them. The Overseer is indeed very old and very different from any alien we have ever encountered. In my command experience, killing him should be the last option we use to protect ourselves... only if all others fail. The places he has visited and what he has learned over countless centuries could teach us a lot."

**And yet the Overseer is not completely aware of what he is doing**, pointed out Decker. **The creature has learned how to communicate with and manipulate sentient beings living in galactic star systems, but it has no emotions. As was the case with V'Ger before it merged with Lt. Ilia and me, the Overseer cannot possibly understand the pain and oppression caused by his actions. I am still somewhat surprised that it has not simply wiped out all life forms standing in its way, but it apparently has logically concluded that it can reap greater benefits by enslaving them**.

David nodded in complete agreement. "Ilia tempted V'Ger, since it captured enough of her humanoid essence to sense the emotional being that she originally was. That is _one _of the major reasons it decided to lure you closer in the hopes that you would merge with it."

"My first duty is to force the Overseer to withdraw its unwanted presence from our galaxy. If possible I would seek to drive it completely out of our universe and back into subspace," continued Data. "If this being wishes to establish some sort of permanent presence in our space, then we have a right to expect that the creature will have to first negotiate an agreement with us. This is, after all, _our_ home."

David nodded with approval as the android spoke. "That is why you chose this two step plan of yours instead of simply sucking away all of its gravitons?"

"Affirmative." Data's thumb touched a button on the data padd and the information listed on its small screen vanished. "The creature is so large and pervasive in most of the realities around us... it would be virtually impossible to attack it only with anti-graviton technology. The Overseer has made certain over the passage of countless eons to establish a very large presence in each universe. We are extremely fortunate that he is just now penetrating our galaxy. With the experience the alien has gained governing the populations in mirror universes, it would not take him long at all to begin tyrannizing our people. This is a powerful enemy we could never hope to stand against."

"So you've decided to kick it in the teeth and get its attention," grinned David.

"Captain Janeway - another colleague of mine - suggested that I first needed to come up with a 'bargaining chip' of some sort. Without one, she did not believe that any sort of diplomatic negotiation could ever hope to succeed. _Both_ parties who work to hammer out any agreement need to be willing to keep their end of the bargain... otherwise it is meaningless. Far too many leaders in our history have discovered firsthand that negotiations cannot truly lead to an advantageous outcome unless both sides are willing to comply with the concessions they agree to make. Although the use of force is never desirable and its use frowned upon by many, a realistic assessment of most situations like this one often reveal that its use is a necessary tool. Without it, the status quo prevails and positive change cannot be successfully implemented."

David's amusement faded somewhat and he looked suddenly at Captain Data with newfound respect. He was, however, not completely finished poking fun at the android. "This Captain Janeway you speak of... she wasn't human either, was she?" He waved both hands frantically in the air around him for emphasis. "Is _everybody_ a computerized brain in your society, or are there actually a few _people_ in that galaxy you come from?"

"Janeway was a hologram," admitted the android. "However, I feel it only fair to point out that her holographic matrix is based on a very real person."

David harrumphed loudly. "In any case, I agree with your assessment of the situation - direct negotiations with this Overseer would never work without the 'bargaining chip' this Janeway spoke of." He cast a wary glance at the android. "What made you decide to implement the second stage of your plan, even with so many risks involved?"

"Risk is our business," Data told him. "That is why we are out here exploring space, developing its resources and working to make it safer for our people. We want to encounter new life forms and new civilizations, and genuinely enjoy the opportunity to interact with them. Additionally, I would point out that my positronic mind is able to do numerous calculations and provide me with very reliable estimates. In this case, most of the computer models I constructed strongly predict a favorable outcome."

**A majority of the Overseer's presence exists OUTSIDE of any universe**, chimed in Decker. **With physical laws so different from our own - or even the complete lack thereof - how could ANY creature hope to interact meaningfully with tinier, emotional life forms in our time and space?** He turned and regarded Data thoughtfully. **Despite the computer models you have used to predict positive results, there does remain a risk of dire consequences once you actually implement this plan. The Overseer is used to bullying everyone he encounters, and may not respond in the manner that you predict he will**.

Data heard Decker's words, but chose not to respond to his warning. Instead he thumbed the data padd, reactivating its screen and used the device to call up a smaller version of his multiverse map. The details of the significantly reduced image on the tiny display were still visible, but much harder to discern. Nevertheless, he handed the padd back to David and allowed him to examine the graphic more closely.

"There are tens of thousands of alternate universes surrounding this one," the android stated factually. "I have been able to confirm that much using Preserver sensor technology. All of these appear to be connected together via the subspace also depicted on the diagram. During many documented, historical crossovers between these realms, the United Federation of Planets that I represent has discovered many parallel realities. Some of these appear to be virtually identical duplicates of our own, while others are significantly different from this universe."

David smiled and nodded slowly. "And yet," he observed with what appeared to be growing admiration, "only _you_ have managed to catch my attention Data. Only _this_ version of Starfleet has detected the Overseer's presence and acted soon enough to have any reasonable chance of stopping him. You are the lone representative from _any_ of those realities to ever venture this far out. The Preservers and the Federation - here in this particular realm - are forming a binding coalition that spans all of time and space itself. There are indeed thousands of other universes out there, but none of their populations have yet sent explorers so far away from home. All of them may benefit from the knowledge that you gain here... they will benefit because _you_ recognized the problem and _you_ chose to act."

"I also command an entire Timeship, with a crew of trained experts," Data informed him. "Their assistance was crucial to detecting the problem early, as was the information I obtained from the Preserver's subspace computer database."

**And yet you left them behind**, Decker reminded him.

"If I fail, someone needs to be in a position to try again," argued Data in response.

"I have confidence in you Data, and believe that the 'ripples' you are creating in this particular pond will radiate steadily outward," predicted David. "Once the subspace network connections that link this universe's resources with those in other alternate realities are updated with your findings, I expect that many others will choose to act as you have. At least those cultures that remain in a position to defend themselves."

"Some of them will be violent... they will try and kill the Overseer," warned Data. "Not all cultures are peaceful ones, even within my home galaxy."

"_I_ will deal with those," David replied sternly. "You do not need to worry about any reality other than your own." He took a deep breath and tugged at the folds on the front of his robe. "It is time for me to be on my way," he decided suddenly. "Is there anything else that you would like to ask me before I leave?"

The android Captain nodded and pointed to his padd and its impressive diagram of the multiverse. "I have also noticed that - extending from the outer periphery of the universe bubbles I have charted - there are subspace strands stretching all the way to the edges of this diagram. The distance is astonishingly far; much farther than even Preserver sensors can measure. Where precisely do those pathways lead to and what specifically can be found at the other end?"

David shook his head with wonder and laughed loudly. "One step at a time Captain Data," he said with a confident, wide smile. "You don't get to know _that_ yet, either." He nodded respectfully toward the Decker hologram and then bowed toward Data. "I consider this meeting to be a great honor - it isn't often that I have the opportunity to meet representatives from such a peaceful, well mannered civilization," he told them.

"What will you do to those who would kill the Overseer?"

Holding up his well worn walking stick, David shook it emphatically. "I'm afraid I still have a bit of a temper. Usually when I run into the more violent, aggressive types I inevitably end up having to knock some sense into them. After that I let my son visit with them for awhile, since he always seems to have a much cooler head in those types of situations." The unusual stranger extended a hand of friendship, very similar to Data's original act. "Good bye Data... it has been a pleasure."

"I enjoyed meeting you too, David."

Together, the Decker hologram and Data watched as the elderly gentleman turned back toward the brightly shining white light still blazing behind him. Slowly but surely he retreated away from them, walking in small, carefully measured steps. His body gradually turned transparent and then faded away entirely. A few seconds later, the small hole in space closed up and took the brightly shining light source along with them. Surrounding them, the sudden return of the darkness reigned and only the nearby _Yellowjacket_'s still illuminated running lights provided them with any sense of direction.

**Who was he?** wondered Decker. **I agree with him that you and I must appear to him as unusual traveling partners. But what kind of life form was that?**

"I do not know," Data replied truthfully. "However, I hope that someday I have the honor of speaking with him again."

* * *

Deep Space Nine, Alpha Quadrant, Stardate 48255.4

* * *

Lt. Commander Michael Eddington leaned casually against the side of Quark's bar and watched two scantily clad Dabo girls walk smoothly past his position. An attractive, dark-haired beauty caught his eye and smiled mischievously, but Eddington was not in the mood for games today. On his side of the cosmos he was considered to be quite the ladies man, and yet here on board this particular Deep Space Nine he had many more important things to do. Sipping at his non-alcoholic drink carefully, he flashed Quark an oily smile. "I am sure that you of all people are pleased that Commander Sisko has finally decided to lift the lockdown," he speculated.

"Yes, I have to say that for once I'm glad to see such a large Starfleet presence," replied the Ferengi with a satisfied grin. "With the _Enterprise_ and all of the other starships patrolling this sector, that creature has suddenly become afraid to poke its nose out and continue meddling in our affairs. That outcome can only be good for business."

"That's not exactly the way I heard it," noted Eddington. "I thought the acquisition rule stated that 'war is good for business'. Those starships are here to maintain order, not the other way around."

"Well, there is also a rule indicating that 'peace is good for business,'" stated Quark informatively. "The Ferengi mind finds a way to have things both ways." He set two large frosty mugs on the counter and began filling them with a pale, orange colored ale. Once the frothing white foam began to run down the sides of each mug, he carefully set them on a platter and shoved it toward a nearby waiter. The small Ferengi picked up the carrying platter and moved off into the crowd with his completed beverage order.

Eddington watched all of the new civilian faces in the surrounding crowd curiously, recognizing more of them than he had expected to. "Where did all of these people come from?" he asked, suddenly very interested. "I knew that commercial merchant traffic was slowly returning to normal, but I never expected to see so many people coming through here so soon."

"Most of these people are from the cargo ships originally trapped here, and are still in the process of relocating refugees from Denali Prime," acknowledged Quark. "Once they heard that the station lockdown had been lifted, this was an obvious transfer point for most of them."

"Really." Eddington took one last sip from his glass and then shoved it toward the bartender. "I'll see you later Quark," he promised amiably. "I have some business to attend to."

"Stop by any time you like," the Ferengi called after his trim, receding figure, already retreating into the crowd. "_Especially_ if you keep tipping like you have been lately!"

* * *

The lone, commercial freighter Captain had finally finished up his morning's work and decided to stop by the Promenade for a quick lunch. Despite the large crowd, he managed to find a small table for two and sat down alone. Isolating himself had become a regular habit since his father's death on one of the planets located within the notorious, always dangerous demilitarized zone that divided Cardassian space from Federation territory. But he wasn't concerned about things like proper social graces any longer or with making new friends... only with insuring that his small, one vessel business made a decent profit.

"May I join you?" asked Michael Eddington smoothly, appearing suddenly from out of the crowd. Without waiting for an answer he seated himself at the only other chair and smiled wryly - his expression actually looked more like a confident leer. The Starfleet security officer held a data padd in his right hand and he tapped the table with its metal edge repeatedly, continuing to study the face of the man sitting opposite him. In particular his eyes focused on the freighter Captain's forehead, just above his left eye. "Nice tattoo... did you get it on Earth?"

The Captain sensed great danger - his natural instincts were honed and reliable. "I'm rather busy," he replied tersely. "I just wanted a quick bite to eat, and then I'm returning to my ship."

Eddington thumbed the data padd and chuckled. "My name is Michael Eddington. Yours is Chakotay," he stated professionally, reading information from the device's screen. "Your ancestry is Native American on Earth... specifically the Mayan culture. My background check shows very clearly that you used to be in Starfleet - in fact you were an instructor for awhile in their Advanced Tactical Training division. Was it your father's death that put you over the top... was _that_ the final straw that convinced you to seek revenge against the Cardassians for their repeated attacks on your father's colony?"

Denying nothing, Chakotay continued to eat. "What do you mean?" he asked finally.

The Lt. Commander leaned forward across the table and smiled wickedly. "I mean that your merchant business on that wreck of a ship you fly is in fact a total sham," he snapped in reply. "I know that you secretly work for the Maquis and that you have many contacts within their organization. Although your primary job is a legitimate effort to raise funds by shipping commercial cargo, you secretly command a Maquis vessel on the side... during their increasingly organized attacks on the Cardassians."

Chakotay carefully set down his eating utensils and wiped his mouth with a napkin. His eyes flashed upward and met Eddington's confidently, but there was obvious anxiety in his expression. "If you have proof of those claims, then _arrest_ me," he snapped harshly. "Otherwise get out of here and leave me alone. It takes a lot of work to keep that small vessel of mine flying and moving around enough cargo to turn a small profit. Not everyone who joins Starfleet likes what they find there, and not everyone who leaves automatically joins the Maquis. Wherever you've gotten your information from, it's _inaccurate_."

"I am not here to _arrest_ you," insisted Eddington, watching the freighter glance at him with both surprise and suspicion. "I want you to _use_ those contacts of yours to arrange something for me."

"I don't know what you're talking about, _Lt. Commander_," stated Chakotay with growing anger. "If you have data proving that I _am_ in fact a member of this Maquis organization, then why _wouldn't_ you arrest me? I know more than a little bit about Deep Space Nine, and you're the _senior_ Starfleet Security Officer here. So what in creation are you trying to accomplish here?"

Eddington shoved the padd across the table. "I have all the information that I need to make an arrest right now," he stated coolly. "But what I'm really after is an opportunity to eventually leave Starfleet myself and join your organization." He shrugged his shoulders. "I won't bore you with the details, but suffice it to say that I have burned a few bridges here and sooner or later I will have to step down anyway. I need a place to go and disappear for awhile. Therefore, I'm willing to help your organization out and even work hard for it in return for a new start."

The padd bleeped as Chakotay picked it up and glanced curiously at the information listed there. "You expect me to believe that a _Lt. Commander_ - the person in charge of _all _of Starfleet security on this station - wants to join the _Maquis?_" He tossed the padd casually back on the table. "Starfleet is _always_ looking for ways to sneak undercover operatives into the demilitarized zone. Obviously, you have come to the conclusion that I am some sort of a fool."

"No, I think that you're highly intelligent and will take a great deal of convincing," Eddington responded. "I wouldn't trust you either if you believed me without concrete proof. And the first batch of what will convince you of my sincerity has currently been transferred into your ship's cargo bay."

Chakotay's expression grew suddenly apprehensive. "I already _have_ a cargo Eddington," he pointed out. "And I really _need_ that cargo in order to turn a profit. If I don't make money..."

"...if you don't make money, you can't help the Maquis buy weapons," chuckled Eddington, folding the fingers of both hands together and setting them on the table surface next to the data padd. "That's why I took the liberty - on this occasion - of _eliminating_ your middle men."

For the first time since the unwelcome discussion had started, Chakotay felt his interest piqued. "What are you talking about?" he demanded.

"Right now there are _fifty_ micro-torpedoes - the kind used by Starfleet runabouts and fighters - loaded into your cargo bay," declared Eddington in a soft, carefully lowered tone of voice. "I have also made certain there is enough anti-matter on board to make all of those devices extremely deadly to Cardassians." His eyes never left Chakotay's as he worked very hard to convince the other man that he was indeed sincere. "I am certain you realize just how difficult it is to obtain those kinds of weapons."

"How are _you_ getting them?" asked Chakotay suspiciously. "The disappearance of that kind of sizeable inventory _always_ leaves an audit trail... or if deleted a gap of some kind in accounting records..."

"Not for a Lt. Commander in charge of _all_ of Starfleet security on board this station," grinned Eddington. His outright deviousness actually triggered a severe burst of guilt in Chakotay's subconscious. The kind of people the Maquis had to rely upon in order to be successful continued to bother him, and this particular individual's words penetrated all the way to his moral center. At times he sincerely believed that his rebel group had in actuality made a deal with the devil... that they were in a no win situation.

"How do I know you're not setting me up... trying to get at my colleagues?"

"I also have connections with people who work for Section 31. As a former tactical commander yourself, I'm certain you understand completely how easy it is for _those_ people to obtain virtually _anything_ that they want to." He leaned back in his chair with obvious self-assuredness. "_You_ have connections, and _I_ have connections. If we work together, _both_ of us will benefit."

Chakotay remained unconvinced. "How do I know you're not setting me up in an attempt to capture more of my friends?" His demeanor remained very suspicious of the newcomer and he continued to remain extremely distrustful of the unexpected offer. Reaching out he picked up his glass and took a long drink from his Bajoran beer, enjoying the taste of the cold, fermented ale.

"I never expected you would trust me at first glance," Eddington responded casually. "This new arrangement of ours will take some time to develop Captain Chakotay." He waved coolly with one hand. "Now that most of the refugees from Denali Prime have access to Bajor and other ships in the vicinity, your obligation to assist in relocating them has been completed. You can simply continue with your usual cargo run. I think that you'll find those torpedoes will come in handy during the coming months. My Starfleet Intelligence reports indicate that the Cardassians have plans to increase the size of their unofficial military presence in the demilitarized zone. That does not bode well for you or for me. I intend to live there someday soon... safely away from Starfleet."

"Even fifty torpedoes won't last long," noted Chakotay with continued distrust. "Suppose I turn them - and you - over to Commander Sisko and blow the whistle on _you?_"

"You can do that, but I do not think you will choose to," Eddington decided. "This is a very rare and unique opportunity for you and the organization you represent. I can continue to provide you with all kinds of weapons and tactical information from this posting... _anything_ that your people need. Aside from Commander Sisko and Odo, I have the highest security clearance levels of anyone on this station. I can literally make incriminating evidence against suspected members _disappear_."

"And all you want in exchange is a place to go and a chance to fight with us?" Chakotay found the offer too incredible to believe, which was exactly why his instincts weren't warning him completely away from the temptation to accept. No one would take such a chance if he wasn't sincere...

"Like me, Chakotay, you understand tactical strategy very well. You must therefore have deduced that I already have several contingency plans ready in case you choose to betray me. I can assure you that I will be a much better ally than an enemy. If you cross me I'll make certain that _you _burn before I do."

The freighter Captain finished his lunch and pushed his plate aside. "It will take me some time to return. I need to stop off at the Volan colonies, deliver the merchandise that you have made available to us, and then contact the appropriate people. That doesn't happen overnight, and they will be as suspicious of all of this as I am... probably a great deal more so."

"That is why you will be my _only_ link until I leave Deep Space Nine," Eddington assured him. "This does not need to happen quickly. The Bajoran and Federation governments are working closely together now, and industry-sized replicators have been made available to the provisional government here. When I leave, I'm going to take something really big with me... possibly equipment like that."

"Industrial replicators?" Chakotay shook his head. "Those are tougher to obtain than weapons."

"Not when they regularly pass through checkpoints here at Deep Space Nine," said a confident Eddington, tapping the side of his head with one forefinger. "Think about it Chakotay... if your organization had one or two of those, you could make your own phaser couplings and your own photonic torpedoes. All you would need to acquire would be the anti-matter to place inside them, and that particular commodity is very _easy_ to find within the plasma storms of the Badlands."

"We'll speak again the next time I pass through this station," decided Chakotay. "I hope you realize that is all I can promise for now."

"It is all I _expect _for now, Captain."

"Even so," Chakotay continued, "I'm passing you off to someone else as soon as I can fill them in on the details. You may think you're some sort of traitorous wonder, but I won't be your contact. I can barely stand the sight of you."

"Whatever gets us both what we want, Captain." Eddington turned and vanished back into the crowd as quickly as he had appeared.

Chakotay sat quietly for a few minutes and realized that both of his hands were shaking, reacting to an overload of adrenalin from his close call. He wondered sincerely for a few minutes _why_ he wasn't on his way to a permanent stay on some Federation penal colony, since Michael Eddington had discovered some real, solid evidence that could put him in jail for a very long time. Either his long term plans to oppose the Cardassians had just been dealt a very severe blow...

_...or this was the beginning of a solid opportunity to seriously blunt their presence and finally force them to leave the civilian populations living in the DMZ alone._

_For good._


	17. Balance Of Terror

**Star Trek: Reign Of Terror**

**Chapter XVII: Balance Of Terror**

* * *

Deep Space Nine, Alpha Quadrant, Stardate 48255.6

* * *

After leaving the Promenade, Michael Eddington spent the next four and a half hours in his quarters, working steadily at the workstation on his desk. He was attempting to achieve two objectives: change the access code on his computer to look like someone else's identification, and then use the new clearance to remotely shut down Deep Space Nine's protective anti-graviton field. It had taken a lot of covert, behind-the-scenes work but he was finally close to success. Pausing, he wiped sweat from his brow and tried to quell the continually growing anxiety in his gut. Every moment he spent here on this blasted space station - in someone else's universe no less - continued to elevate his concerns.

_He needed to escape... to get away._

The demilitarized zone between Cardassian space and Federation territory was the closest safe haven and easily reached. And yet his conversation with the commercial freighter Captain Chakotay had left him with no doubts but that traitors were not easily trusted. Chakotay had openly balked at him, practically daring Eddington to arrest him. Under normal circumstances the Lt. Commander wouldn't have hesitated - he would have grabbed the Starfleet traitor by the scruff of his neck and hauled him off to the brig. But this was no ordinary situation, and Eddington was fully aware that he too was culpable and in great danger of being exposed as a wolf in sheep's clothing.

_All Sisko had to do was order his Doctor to scan for the obvious, easily detectable quantum flux within his RNA and they would know. They would know!_

Returning his attention to the display screen, he realized that the time had come to select someone to frame for his latest crime. _Hmmm_, he mused thoughtfully to himself. _Should I blame Ensign Paulson or Ensign Reynolds?_ Calling up the current day's duty roster, he noticed that Reynolds was still listed as active. Ensign Paulson had logged out, leaving behind a brief comment that he would return to duty after a short meal break. _It looks like I've found my stooge_, Eddington decided silently with a malicious smile. Working swiftly, he changed his access code to a lower clearance level that matched Paulson's and then altered his workstation's location identification code. If anyone was left alive to check the security logs after this latest attempt at sabotage, it would appear as though Ensign Paulson illegally accessed the deflector control systems from his quarters.

_It was supposed to be impossible for anyone to use one workstation to impersonate another._

And normally what he was doing truly _would_ be an impossible feat... impossible except for those with the technical expertise necessary to alter the software running on a standard, private terminal. Eddington had fundamentally changed his work station, causing it to appear on the network as a master control console. That was no easy matter, since he also needed to create a duplicate presence that would simulate his own station and make it appear to be completely idle during the actual crime. The station's network and its operating system were carefully designed to detect tampering, so the switch-over and authentication of his changes had to be done quickly. Once he was certain that his alterations had taken effect, he turned around and deleted a majority of the new entries his private computer had entered into the security logs.

All of his changes had been accepted and his workstation - now properly masquerading as the personal computer terminal in Paulson's quarters - had successfully accessed deflector control. He continued to smile as a mirror image of all major command functions currently displayed on Reynold's deflector control console appeared on the screen in front of him. _Mission__ accomplished!_ he decided with renewed vigor. All he needed to do now was deactivate the anti-graviton field and then run a purge subroutine to restore everything to normal. Everyone cleared to work in Main Operations or on any of Deep Space Nine's critical systems would have the capability to do this... he had made certain not to in any way leave behind an audit trail that could be followed exclusively back to him. If the need arose, he would simply point out that Paulson had planned for _everyone_ to be killed once the protective field powered down... and thus the unrestrained brazenness.

Grinning, Eddington purged all remaining historical information documenting his activities from every log except for one. The log he left intact was the one that would frame Paulson and make him appear to be completely guilty of sabotage. Not everyone knew about the existence of the critical file that the Lt. Commander had selected. Odo would probably know where to find it, along with Commander Sisko and Major Kira. Other than that it was a completely hidden log of computer activity. It therefore made sense that - if Ensign Paulson was indeed the guilty party - that he would miss deleting activity from this particular file. He simply didn't have enough security clearance to know that it existed, or that hostile actions such as this one would be logged in it.

It was the perfect crime and there was no way anyone would be able to trace it back to him. Feeling extraordinarily proud of himself, Michael Eddington waited for the crucial point in time when Reynolds would have to move away from the main console in deflector control and double-check the status readouts on the nearby backup stations. During the sixty or so seconds when the Ensign's attention was diverted elsewhere, Eddington would use his duplicate console to make the necessary changes. He needed Reynolds to be looking elsewhere, though, because the command changes would appear on both consoles as they were entered. If Reynolds was doing his job and watching, he would notice the sabotage and be in a perfect position to instantly reverse it.

Eddington had also used a tricorder to tap into the security monitor that maintained around the clock surveillance of the deflector control area. So he was watching Reynolds patiently on its small screen, waiting for his opportunity to take down the protective shielding that was keeping Deep Space Nine safe from the Overseer. He would have to be quick and he would have to be efficient. But he was certain that - as soon as the Ensign looked away - he would finally be able to achieve the mission assigned to him by his Master. He would leave the station completely vulnerable to an attack by the Overseer.

_That was when the door chime unexpectedly sounded._

Deep, unchecked rage surged through Eddington and his head whirled toward the door. Tapping a key on his workstation, he temporarily darkened the screen to hide the damning contents displayed there. Then he rose to his feet and warily moved toward the door. "Who is it?" he asked curiously, pausing at the threshold to prevent the door from opening prematurely. He waited in silence but there was no immediate answer, and - feeling his anger continuing to escalate - he opened the door.

_It was HER._

The blonde woman who had foiled his previous attempt to deactivate the station's anti-graviton field was standing in the corridor, confidently smiling at him. Instantly Eddington's hand pulled free his hand phaser and he pointed the weapon directly at her. "Inside _now!_" he snapped commandingly and backtracked just far enough to allow her to enter. Her expression of deliberate non-concern infuriated him as she walked casually into his quarters, but Eddington's confidence returned as the doors snapped shut behind her. Reaching over toward the wall controls, he sealed the entrance. "Computer, deactivate all weapons detection protocols within this room," he ordered. "Clearance, Michael Eddington voice authorization Beta Kappa Two."

"_Acknowledged_," the female voice of the Cardassian computer responded.

Internally, Eddington fumed. _Another log entry to delete as soon as this latest problem was resolved!_

"I have no weapon," the woman informed him, holding out her hands.

Glancing up and down her slim, uniformed figure, Eddington quickly verified her claim. "Who the _hell_ are you?" he demanded heatedly. "_How_ can you constantly know who I am and what I'm up to?"

She ignored his questions and simply began walking toward him. The Lt. Commander reacted instantly, firing the phaser at point blank range. His expression changed to one of extreme puzzlement as the searing, directed energy discharge passed right _through_ her chest and impacted harmlessly against the far wall. He leaped to one side and fired again, this time shooting through her abdomen. The phaser beam snapped a dark, black burn into the top of one of the room's easy chairs... again, impacting _behind_ her. The strange woman ignored his attempts to shoot her and continued walking toward him with a confident smile on her face, moving much more swiftly than he anticipated.

Drawing back her right hand, she hit him very hard with the heel of her hand. Since the weapons fire hadn't even touched her, Eddington was startled by the unexpected force behind the blow. His head swirled with a mixture of pain and surprise, and then his vision blurred seconds later. The last thing the Starfleet security officer remembered right before he lost consciousness was the sight of her standing over him, holding his own phaser at the ready. Then he blacked out from the unrelenting pain and anxiety. _I don't need_ any _of this_, he thought helplessly.

As soon as he was certain that Eddington was unconscious, the Sisko hologram dropped the false image of Lt. Ingram that he had been using and reverted to an alternate projection of a Starfleet crewman wearing a standard petty officer's uniform. He crossed the room and sat down at Eddington's workstation, reactivating its display screen and examining all of the tampering that was currently in progress. Shaking his head with disgust, he accessed the Lt. Commander's personal high-level authorization codes and began steadily working to undo all of the changes that Eddington had been working so hard to implement. Once everything had been returned to normal, he reached up and double-tapped his photonically altered, normal looking Comm-badge. "Sisko hologram to Ingram," he stated, activating the communicator.

"_This is Ingram_."

"Everything is done," he informed her. "I deleted all of his scheduled subroutine changes and restored the altered security codes to normal. If he wants to try this kind of trick again, our duplicate Michael Eddington is going to have to start completely over."

"_Be certain to leave all of the newly updated security logs completely intact_," Ingram responded sternly. "_If he's going to keep trying to be a bad boy, then our evil twin of Eddington should have to spend some additional time cleaning up this latest mess he made_."

"Agreed," replied the duplicate of Sisko. He finished up with a few final changes and then shut down the terminal. "He's going to have a tough time fixing everything before someone notices," pointed out the hologram with a chuckle. "According to his duty roster, he's scheduled to go back on-duty soon."

Not surprisingly, Ingram was unsympathetic. "_That's _his _problem_." She paused briefly, glancing at the _Relativity_'s computer information on her end of the transmission. "_You've done well Benjamin. I'm receiving updated telemetry from the _U.S.S. Hillyer_ in the 29th century. The new information clearly indicates that the latest temporal incursion is disappearing and our readings are returning to normal_," she reported with distinct and obvious satisfaction. "_It must be frustrating for Eddington, knowing that someone close by knows who he is and is watching his every move_."

The Sisko hologram glanced down at the prone, unmoving form lying on the floor. "At _least_ we finally discovered the motives behind your traitorous behavior," he growled softly. "It's sadly too little too late, but I'm glad we know _why_ you eventually turn traitor and join the Maquis." He shook his head sadly. "Lt. Ingram, is there no chance of retrieving the original Eddington?"

"Even if we knew where to start looking, it's highly probable that he's dead," she responded. "Have you taken a look at Captain Data's findings? There are _thousands_ of alternate universes surrounding us, and the Overseer is familiar with quite a few of them. Retrieval of the original Eddington is highly unlikely. Further, our timeline records clearly indicate this _is_ what is supposed to happen. Otherwise there would have been obvious changes as soon as he was replaced. Our scans remain perfectly normal until he tries one of these tricks... to do the Overseer's bidding."

"Understood." Deactivating the workstation, Benjamin stood up and proceeded to unlock the room. Then he simply walked out into the corridor, continuing to project the appearance of an ordinary Starfleet crewman. He easily blended in with the other people moving past the Security Chief's quarters.

Eddington regained consciousness shortly thereafter and moved into a small restroom to splash his face with cold water. Glancing into the mirror, he groaned upon noticing the dark, purpling bruise in the center of his forehead. Either he would have to explain the injury, or he would have to request that Dr. Bashir treat it. Neither option was particularly appealing to him.

_I can't get off of this station soon enough_, he thought furiously to himself.

* * *

Garak the Cardassian had been working dutifully in his tailor shop throughout the morning, beginning his day promptly at the same time the other shops on the Promenade opened. One had to compete with the others for business, after all, and he had even skipped his usual lunch with Doctor Bashir in order to sell some extra garments to eager clients. All in all it was proving to be an excellent day - as excellent as days ever got for someone who had been exiled from his own home world. Garak had many enemies back on Cardassia Prime, and he was determined to some day seek retribution for the pain and misery they had put him through. Quite obviously simply killing him hadn't been enough; his political opponents had left him with no choice but to live on Deep Space Nine and sell... _clothing_.

Sales were up and it was proving to be a solid day, an unusual development considering the circumstances. Both the civilians and military personnel who regularly passed through the station had been extremely moody lately - a vast majority of them noticeably rattled by the unexplained murders. The recent lockdown hadn't helped matters much either. At first the civilians had actually generated a temporary spike in sales, since the lack of ship traffic had granted business owners a captive audience. The ongoing danger around them, combined with the uncertainty of their own profit during a prolonged shutdown of ship traffic, had eventually caused sales to slow almost to a standstill. The additional Starfleet complement assigned to work on the weapons upgrades hadn't helped matters - for some odd reason the Federation personnel always seemed able to live cheerfully with less.

_Their lack of greed, self discipline, and ability to do without were nasty, deplorable traits._

Garak considered himself to be one of the lucky ones. His merchandise was primarily clothing, not the expensive, easily spoilable food products sold by many of his competitors. He did keep some stylish, decorated boxes of fine Delavian chocolates displayed along the edge of his front counter, specifically put in place to tempt potential customers inside his store. Some of the rare candy he gave out as samples, while most of it ended up being sold only to consistent, reliable return customers. Nevertheless, the Cardassian had been as frustrated as anyone by the current situation taking place within the sector. Nervous customers were thrifty customers, and until today his daily sales had been dropping regularly.

_Then the starships had come._

First the _Enterprise_ had arrived, providing the temporary assistance necessary to rescue Deep Space Nine from its vulnerable position in the Gamma Quadrant and restoring order. The Federation flagship was followed almost immediately by vessels commonly patrolling the region, including the _Malinche_ and the _Thunderchild_. Even the rarely seen, massive fighter carrier _Rhadamanthus_ had stopped by for a time. The mighty starship was far too large to dock at any of the station's pylons, so it simply orbited around Deep Space Nine for a couple of days, letting everyone in the region know that Starfleet was serious about protecting the rights of its citizens. Garak had simply shaken his head and - in the end - acknowledged that Starfleet was certainly capable of putting on an impressive show of force.

Whether or not these Federation oddballs could actually manage to fight and back up the intimidating presence they projected, well... that remained to be seen. Unfortunately there hadn't been much of anything to attack lately, aside from the occasional gravimetric tendril or two with the audacity to poke its nose outside of subspace and take a quick look around. Garak found himself having to silently admit, however, that the beefed up starship patrols had actually improved matters considerably. With well armed, mobile starships now regularly policing the area, all of the old, daily rumors about mysterious murders and dangerous killer aliens appearing out of nowhere had died down and become virtually non-existent. Even the children who had taken to regularly hiding under an empty table in the common area felt reassured enough to emerge now and then to watch the starships arrive and depart.

_For once Starfleet was unafraid to brazenly flex its muscles... that didn't happen very often._

Ushering his latest customer to the door with gracious thanks in response to his latest sale, Garak was surprised to find Odo and Doctor Bashir waiting for him. "Come in, come in gentleman," he said with his usual oily smile and a casual wave of his right hand. "It's _wonderful_ to see you! Things appear to be looking up on Deep Space Nine, if retail sales are any indication."

"Hello Garak," said Bashir with a noticeable lack of enthusiasm. Whatever was going on, it was quite clear that the Doctor had not wanted to stop by for even a casual visit.

As usual, Odo's manner was deliberate and unemotional. He stood behind Bashir with his arms folded and wearing a predictable, distrustful expression on his simulated humanoid face. Knowing full well that the alien shapeshifter did not eat, Garak extended a hand toward the counter. "Can I interest either of you in a fine chocolate or two?" he asked generously.

"I'm not interested in your usual, mindless posturing Garak," snapped Odo. "We're here for _one _reason only... to let you know that the Cardassian phaser pistol you've been keeping in your quarters has officially been confiscated." He stabbed an accusing, deliberate finger toward the Cardassian tailor. "_Don't_ let me hear about you keeping illegal weapons near the habitat ring again. You know the rules, and if you push me any farther I _will_ put you in the brig. A sharp drop in retail sales will be the _least_ of your problems."

Garak's expression appeared sincerely hurt. "Doctor, you _tattled_ on me," he oozed snidely toward the clearly uncomfortable Bashir. "I shared that small fact with you in confidence during a casual lunch."

The Doctor shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "I swore an oath to Starfleet," he replied softly. "You having an unauthorized weapon in your quarters automatically places _all_ of the people who live around you at risk. It's a selfish act, and we cannot allow that."

"If you've looked out a window lately, then you already know Starfleet has assigned more people to protect this station and its citizens," continued Odo. "You're the safest Cardassian in the Quadrant now. So please let _us_ take care of the security matters, and _you_ can continue to sell clothing, chocolates, or whatever else your heart desires."

"Tell me Odo," grinned Garak, flashing his traditional 'snake oil salesman' of a smile. "Do you _practice_ that patronizing tone of voice, or does it just come naturally?"

The Changeling harrumphed in response and then turned on his heel and left.

"He's... _we're_ just doing our jobs," said Bashir after Odo had departed. "Try reversing the roles Garak. If you were head of security on this station, I'm sure you would feel similarly."

"I just like teasing him," Garak chuckled with more than a little amusement while retreating toward a row of booths at the rear of his business. "And if I ran security on this station, everything would be _perfect_ all the time." He reached inside one of the small dressing rooms and pressed a small knot in the wood on its rear wall, opening a concealed panel. From within the secret hiding place he pulled out another Cardassian hand weapon. "Perhaps I'll sleep here tonight in my store... I'm not entirely certain that I trust even _improved_ Starfleet defenses to protect me."

Rubbing his forehead with one hand, Bashir groaned audibly. "Now Garak, you know I'm going to..."

He was interrupted by a sudden electronic chirp from his Comm-badge. "_Eddington to Dr. Bashir_."

"This is Bashir," he replied.

"_Doctor, this is Michael Eddington. I've been examining some of the latest merchandise moved to Cargo Bay One and have had a slight accident. Could you grab a medical kit and meet me down here... I seem to have hit my head_."

"I'm on my way," Bashir acknowledged, glaring heatedly at his friend. "This isn't over Garak."

"It never is," replied the Cardassian merchant snidely.

* * *

_U.S.S. Enterprise_, Near the Bajor sector, Stardate 48255.6

* * *

From the comfortable seated position in his command seat, Captain Picard watched the odd image displayed on the central viewscreen. It appeared - for all intents and purposes - as though space had simply exploded. There for all to see was a large, dark black hole where the normal star pattern had been obscured by a very large rupture in subspace. From within, a large cloud of glittering green energy was emerging, gradually expanding while extending dozens of tentacles out into space in all directions. Unfortunately, this did not appear to be just any casual exploration. The alien creature that they had been tracking for several days now wasn't just sending out random probes this time... it was initiating a major intrusion into the Alpha Quadrant.

_Into Federation space._

"Gravimetric readings are off the scale," Worf reported from his position behind the apex of the central bridge horseshoe. "Readings indicate that this _is_ the same creature we have been searching for, and that what we are seeing is simply much more of its 'body'."

Riker turned his head toward Picard thoughtfully. "The alien has been experimenting with subspace here too," he concluded with a sigh. "Obviously it's been working even harder at this location."

"And why not?" Picard snapped with just a trace of frustration. "It could only accomplish a little at a time during its experiments aboard Deep Space Nine and within other populated areas in this region. Out here it was free to work around the clock without anyone suspecting anything until it grew large enough for our long range sensors to detect."

Most of the senior bridge crew was present, including Geordi LaForge at the Engineering station. Standing next to him, Deanna Troi looked at the screen and put a tentative hand up. She touched her right temple with the tips of her fingers and cringed. "There is an extremely powerful life form present within that energy cloud," she reported. "It is highly telepathic and definitely aware of our presence. If it feels any kind of emotions they are beyond my ability to put into words. However, the immediate impression I get is that the creature out there _hates_ us and will not rest until we are dead."

"Why would it hate us?" wondered Data. "We have not directly attacked this alien."

"Perhaps not directly," countered Riker quickly. "But we came to the aid of Deep Space Nine and were instrumental in assisting its crew while they moved the space station safely to a new location. This alien may not think and behave in the same manner as other life forms, but it definitely knows how to set goals and achieve objectives."

"We're standing in its way," agreed Picard. "So now that we are here, it will try and remove us."

His words proved to be more than a little prophetic. The nearest tendrils continued to steadily elongate and grope their way steadily toward the nearby _Enterprise_. As soon as they were close enough to strike, three of the graviton columns impacted heavily against the vessel's fully powered shields and actually shoved it backwards before their leading edges faded and began dissipating. "Those are significantly more powerful than anything on record," cautioned LaForge. "Our anti-graviton field is holding firm at ninety-eight percent, but please keep in mind that the more the creature throws at us the harder it becomes for us to protect ourselves."

Picard tapped his Comm-badge. "Doctor Crusher, are you ready?"

"_Absolutely_," she replied briskly. "_I've maneuvered the shuttlecraft into position one hundred thousand meters behind the _Enterprise _and rotated our starboard flank toward you. The enhanced deflector shielding is on-line and ready... we're all set here_."

"You're also going to have to descend _below_ our current position by at least fifteen thousand meters Doctor," LaForge informed her. "We've decided to use the ventral phaser array on the bottom of our secondary engineering hull. The particle beam we fire your way will be at seventy percent of maximum, but don't worry. Everything should work exactly like it did during our simulated computer modeling."

"_Acknowledged Commander. I'm lowering the shuttlecraft now._" There was a brief pause during which she complied with his instructions. "_Okay... we're ready when you are_."

LaForge glanced to Picard, and the Captain of the _Enterprise_ nodded confidently. "Do it," he ordered.

"Firing ventral particle beam," replied Geordi, sounding completely confident. The somewhat excitable young man had established a strong reputation over the years... a reputation for thoroughly researching and testing his creations. And yet there was always that last bit of lingering doubt before the first actual test of each new invention. Around them the _Enterprise_ rocked from side to side as they were buffeted repeatedly on both sides by fresh attacks from the enemy still lurking outside. "Beam one has impacted against the side of the shuttlecraft." He studied the sensor data carefully. "As expected, it's deflecting off the side of her starboard hull and out into open space."

Picard nodded, clearly satisfied. "Proceed, Mr. LaForge."

The starship's Chief Engineer smiled in response. "Aye, sir. I'm activating beam two from the main deflector dish _now_."

He touched the keypad in front of him and a second, larger beam of particle-driven energy emerged from the vessel's deflector dish and fired forward, this time directly toward the alien creature. It touched the outer perimeter of the central, glowing green cloud within the gravimetric subspace rupture and instantly pierced it. Glittering with orange and traces of red, the modified, low level energy beam reached deep down inside the visible portion of the Overseer.

_The results were virtually instantaneous_.

"I'm detecting an incoming graviton surge, riding along beam two" announced Worf, working swiftly to keep the incoming sensor telemetry updated. "The _Enterprise_ is rapidly becoming heavier."

Everyone simultaneously turned their heads expectantly toward Geordi. "Rerouting graviton flow," he noted with a deliberate, focused expression. He was so used to working under pressure situations like this one that he didn't even notice everyone watching. Like Worf, he worked as quickly and efficiently as possible, hesitant to risk making even a minor error during so critical a process. Finally, he glanced up with a satisfied nod. "Graviton flow has been channeled toward the shuttlecraft's starboard shielding."

"Confirmed. Incoming gravitons have been successfully diverted," Worf grinned, clearly pleased. "We are drawing gravitons out of the entity at an increasing rate of flow. They are following beam two until they hit our deflector dish, then flowing along the bottom of our secondary hull toward beam one." He folded his arms in front of him with obvious satisfaction. "We have succeeded in establishing a continual flow using the _Enterprise_ as a conduit at the center of both beams. The graviton stream eventually ends by deflecting off of the shuttlecraft's hull and harmlessly out into open space."

"_It sure is!_" Beverly shouted over the still-open communications link. "_The starboard hull is bending steadily outward - toward the outer edge of our bubble shielding_." The loud creaking sound of stressed metal temporarily obscured her next statement as she worked feverishly to make on the fly adjustments. Eventually her voice returned, and the tone of her voice sounded much calmer in the first audible fragment of a sentence. "..._those emergency force shields in place Ensign, just in case we have hull breaches,_" she was saying. "_We need to protect the atmosphere in here_."

Geordi was watching sensor telemetry fed to him directly from Worf's station. "Doctor, adjust your shields to accept the incoming energy from the particle beam," he suggested. "The shield grid is designed to _absorb_ energy as well as deflect it. Divert the incoming energy into your auxiliary power system and don't worry... your anti-graviton field will continue to protect you."

"That's an interesting twist," commented Riker. "Your system is allowing Beverly to supplement her shields with energy from our particle beam while still deflecting away the incoming gravitons."

"She can use some of that energy to augment the shuttlecraft's structural integrity too," nodded LaForge with a smile. "_Wow_... based on the simulations we ran, I fully expected that this would work. But I never imagined it would work _this_ well!" He continued watching the rapidly increasing numbers on his console. "We're pulling gravity out of that creature at an astonishing rate..."

"At _what_ rate?" requested Picard briskly. "Specifics please."

LaForge confirmed the data before answering. "We're draining gravitons out of the entity at more than seven hundred trillion per second," he informed them.

"What about the _Enterprise__?_" wondered the Captain. "Or the shuttle? Are _we_ in any danger?"

"Neither ship is accumulating sufficient gravitons long enough for there to be any damage," Geordi told him. "They're flowing across us like a rapidly moving river current. I would imagine that the shuttle's hull has sustained some minor damage from the initial impact, but other than that... trust me, sir, we're doing _great!_" Seconds continued to tick by, and the _Enterprise_ Chief Engineer continued to watch closely while the graviton flow out of the center of the strange entity continued to run wild.

At his station, Worf bristled noticeably. "The alien has discovered what we are doing."

"Indeed." Picard rested his chin on his right fist while the approaching tendrils on the viewscreen in front of them suddenly slowed and came to an abrupt stop. Almost immediately the alien's slender green fingers began retracting swiftly back inside the subspace vortex, and all the while the flickering green cloud of energy at its center shrank visibly. Once the last of the tentacles had vanished inside the anomaly, the cloud itself simply vanished. Seconds later the darkness rippled with noticeable distortion and the stars behind it came sharply back into focus.

"The gravimetric hole in subspace is resealing itself," stated Worf informatively. "And the alien is generating feedback along particle beam two... deflector control systems are beginning to overload."

"Shut everything down," stated Picard decisively. "Immediately."

"Aye, Captain. Dr. Crusher, we're deactivating down both particle beams on my mark," Geordi told her, watching all of their status indicators carefully. "_Mark!_"

"_Acknowledged. We're powering down our systems on this end too!_"

For a brief moment in time, silence reigned on the _Enterprise_ bridge. Even after repeated computer simulations testing the experimental process, no one had known for certain how well it would work until trying it in an actual, real world environment. Therefore, those who felt the massive starship literally battered back and forth by the alien's powerful tendrils had literally held their breath - hoping that the hastily constructed weapon would do the job that it was meant to. Picard sat there quietly and waited patiently for a moment, allowing the people around him to catch their breath.

"Well," the Captain declared finally, rising to his feet and tugging on his uniform top. "That was certainly an interesting experience." He took a deep breath himself, exhaling slowly to calm his own rattled nervous system. "Dr. Crusher, please return to the _Enterprise_ and dock immediately."

"_I'm already on my way!_" she promised, terminating the Comm-link an instant later.

"Obviously this trap has been used against the entity before. It knows how to counterattack." Riker also stood up. "Let's see how well we did," he suggested, and as usual his broad-shouldered presence loomed above Picard's significantly shorter stature. "Computer, can you determine the specific size of the gravimetric entity using data accumulated from our latest sensor sweep?"

Another unexpected and longer awkward pause followed this time. "_Negative_," the female voice of the computer eventually responded after churning through gigaquads of newly gathered information.

The _Enterprise_ First Officer persisted. "Can you _estimate_ its total size?"

"_Negative_."

"Hmm," mused Riker with growing frustration, deciding to try a new approach. "By how much did our graviton extraction procedure reduce its total mass?"

"_That information cannot be determined without a thorough sensor sweep from within the outer perimeter of the gravimetric subspace anomaly_," replied the computer helpfully. "_Such a scan is no longer possible... the phenomenon has vanished from sensors_."

Riker turned respectfully toward his Captain. "Perhaps we could try a probe or two next time?"

"Not bloody likely Number One," decided Picard with a hearty chuckle. "That thing would have crushed us like a bug if our shields hadn't protected us. I doubt it's going to permit us to insert vulnerable, complex scanning devices inside its mass so that we can search for weaknesses."

"Well if it's weaknesses you want, we've just discovered a big one," said LaForge triumphantly. "That entity _cannot_ exist outside of subspace unless it manipulates gravitons. Whatever lies at the heart of that life form obviously relies upon them almost exclusively for its continued survival and expansion."

"Agreed," replied the Captain.

"I wonder how many other test sites there are," Troi wondered curiously. "If it's trying to reach into our space, then there are probably additional areas just like this one - isolated from populated planetary systems. The creature may even be planning a unified mass appearance in multiple areas all over the Alpha Quadrant... perhaps even the entire galaxy."

"Regardless of its former plans, the alien will not return for a time," predicted Data.

"What makes you say that?" asked the starship's Counselor curiously, her curly dark hair whirling around her shoulders as she turned to face him.

"We have injured it," the android pointed out. "The rapid extraction of gravitons from the alien is obviously not a pleasant experience. It returned to subspace almost immediately after we began drawing away from it the gravitons that it craves." He fell silent for a second or two, mulling over the matter further. "It is too bad we currently lack a method of constructing a much larger extraction device."

"Who knows how large that creature truly is?" countered Picard. "Theoretically it could live in one layer of subspace... or perhaps its presence crosses many. Without a detailed, long-term study there's simply no way to determine just how far across our galaxy this creature can reach. Based on documented incidents to date, Starfleet has confirmed its presence in at least ten different sectors."

"It's planning some sort of an invasion," Riker concluded. "There's no other explanation."

"Until now, the creature has been preying upon the people living in this region of space," continued Data. "What we have just done will no doubt give it reason to pause. Even if the alien cannot feel fear or other emotions in the same manner as biological humanoids, I am confident we have achieved what is traditionally described as a 'balance of terror'. The entity is extremely intelligent and will not continue meddling with affairs in our space until it is certain that we can no longer injure it."

Troi continued to look extremely concerned. "Meaning...?"

Data gave her his traditional, carefully controlled android response. "I suspect it will begin targeting starships," he informed them.

* * *

_U.S.S. Yellowjacket_, Location Unknown, Stardate Unknown

* * *

After the conversation with the unusual entity known as David concluded, it took Captain Data only minutes to move the _Yellowjacket_ back inside the Overseer's nearby graviton field. Traveling at warp speed, he backtracked toward the area that he had earlier vacated and once again pierced the Overseer's outer event horizon. Working with his traditional android efficiency, the _Relativity_ Captain flew deep inside the glowing green clouds of energy that now dominated the viewscreen. As he approached the specific location that he had selected earlier, the runabout decelerated to sublight velocity and continued flying toward its designated target coordinates. It took less than a half hour for the small ship to reach the center of the disturbance and identify a massive hole in space.

Working unopposed at this location in the vastness of the universe - also known as the middle of nowhere - the Overseer had managed to successfully establish a large, permanent presence in regular space/time. Clouds and large tendrils of gravimetric energy quite literally stretched across light years in all directions surrounding the central rupture. Never hesitating for an instant, Data adjusted the _Yellowjacket_'s heading and steered directly toward the subspace opening. The shields flared a brilliant, bright red as the surrounding energy field grew steadily stronger. **Do not worry**, the voice of Decker whispered reassuringly within his positronic thoughts. **V'Ger and I are with you**.

_An instant later the _Yellowjacket _entered the rift and vanished inside subspace_.

Data ignored the odd patterns of colorful energy streaming past the cockpit windows. He continued working the helm controls for another few seconds, making certain that the runabout successfully reached his carefully preselected position. The white glow from his eyes continued to grow stronger and now filled the entire cabin with a brilliant, luminous glow. With the ship's autopilot successfully activated, the android Captain unhooked the safety harness holding him in the pilot's seat and stood up. He walked slowly to the rear of the cockpit, turned and put both hands firmly on the back of his chair. Then he braced himself and allowed the Preserver network's pure energy to flow through him like a conduit. His entire body flared with blazing white light this time, filling the small cabin with all of its radiant glory. At the same time, the android accessed his neural link with the runabout and ordered the main computer to execute its final, pre-programmed command sequence.

Columns of intense white light stabbed outward from inside of the _Yellowjacket_'s windows, growing brighter with each passing second. The coruscating, multi-hued patterns of energy lining the edge of the subspace entrance were suddenly drowned out by the brilliance spreading across the entire outer surface of the runabout. For just a brief moment in time, an intense, dazzling white glow flared like a star at the center of the Overseer's massive subspace rupture.

_Then the runabout exploded in a blazing cloud of energy and rapidly expanding debris._


	18. Metamorphosis

****

Star Trek: Reign Of Terror

**Chapter XVIII: Metamorphosis**

* * *

_U.S.S. Yellowjacket_, Location Unknown, Stardate Unknown

* * *

Debris from the _Yellowjacket_ continued to drift outward for several seconds in a traditional blast pattern typically found after the explosion of an overloaded impulse drive. As the seconds ticked away, however, the protective force shield surrounding the artificial quantum singularity at the heart of the runabout's engine core faded away. Once that happened, the expanding cloud of wreckage and energy came to a gradual halt and - for just a fraction of an instant - an explosion was frozen in time. Then all of the still glowing fragments and residual radiation came rushing suddenly back toward the source of the singularity as its intense, fully released gravity pulled mightily at everything surrounding it.

_Including the Overseer_.

Time continued to pass in the aftermath of the runabout's destruction, and a swirling cloud of gravimetric energy began to form around the tiny, microscopic anomaly. The singularity's final location had been expertly targeted by Data and positioned _inside_ the subspace rupture in space/time, allowing the gravity well to take full advantage of an environment where the regular laws of physics no longer applied... where light moved much faster than in normal space. The Overseer immediately began trying to withdraw all of its massive, extended tendrils back into the relative safety of subspace, but it immediately became clear that the quantum singularity was now firmly attached to the creature like a powerful magnet to a metal surface. The alien was a natural graviton collector, but so was the unique, artificially generated phenomenon that had once powered the _Yellowjacket_'s engines and computer systems. The two were now locked firmly together in a massive, stellar handshake with no way to let go. It immediately became apparent that the Overseer clearly wanted no part of this new partnership, even though it found itself unable to escape from it.

The colorful, gently curving energy currents of a traditional black hole were swiftly taking shape, spiraling gradually downward toward the singularity at their center. Already, the Overseer's massive intrusion into normal space/time had dwindled noticeably. As if that wasn't dangerous enough, the creature quickly discovered that the more it tried to retreat back into subspace, the farther it pulled the singularity along with it. Data had carefully done his homework while studying and mapping the creature's presence within their universe, noting early on in his research that the Overseer _always_ made a an easily identifiable effort to steer well clear of black holes and other higher gravity areas. By far, it preferred the smaller gravity wells found in the smaller star systems, where its massive body could easily overwhelm the suns and planets to be found there while siphoning away the gravitational energy.

_Trapped and helpless, with a significant portion of its presence bleeding away with each passing minute, the Overseer panicked._

* * *

_From his new vantage point within subspace, Captain Data closely observed the Overseer's reaction. The alien entity did not feel emotion in the same manner as humanoid beings, and yet - even so - its response to the unexpected release of a quantum singularity within its physical body was almost immediate. All across the universe, wherever the creature had penetrated into normal space/time, its activities suddenly ceased. All of the attention of its various components was suddenly redirected toward a new priority - toward the _Yellowjacket_'s former location. Where only moments ago a small ship had traveled through space, there was now a powerful new stellar object in place. And it had been positioned precisely at a spot where the precious gravitons comprising the whole of the Overseer were now disappearing at an alarming rate._

_For the moment, Data was relatively unconcerned by the alien's undesirable predicament. Over countless centuries, it had regularly utilized its power and stature to kill, abuse and manipulate countless other life forms across multiple universes. He therefore wanted the creature to 'feel' - at least for a time - the equivalent of abuse and uncertainty that it had been relentlessly dishing out to others. In short, the android wanted the Overseer to have a really bad experience burned into its 'memory'. He had been honest with David and did not have plans to kill the alien, but he definitely wanted to force it to confront the reality of its own fallibility. Even though it did not feel emotions in the traditional sense, Data had determined by carefully observing the entity's behavior that the creature was completely able to sense when it was in danger. It understood tactical strategy very well and knew how to use its powerful presence to kill and enslave._

No life form that challenged it had ever successfully defeated it.

_Data was fully aware that politicians concerned about their own re-election and the preservation of a power base would never approve the solution that he had come up with. His solution was an unpopular, tough decision to a massive problem with no quick or easy resolution. Any government hoping to successfully confront the Overseer would have to be prepared to dedicate significant time and resources to the problem - something that most political bodies never seemed to have enough of in the first place. _

_To their credit, several cultures had tried unsuccessfully in the past to attack the Overseer and kill it, but - in the end - the entity's almost endless reach across the entire cosmos gave it too much of an advantage. It also had the benefit of time on its side... all it had to do was wait a few centuries until those who opposed it gave in. Most of its adversaries, in the end, chose to avoid the alien entirely and thereby delay addressing the problem. Those who could not avoid it eventually had no choice but to comply with the entity's demands and do its bidding. None of them by themselves possessed enough manpower or the technological resources necessary to successfully combat it._

Data knew this to be true, because his relentless, non-stop study of the histories documented within the Preserver archives conclusively _proved_ it.

_To a point he had intentionally abandoned Commander Ducane and Lt. Ingram aboard the_ Relativity_, in order to pave the way for a solution that he alone would implement. Had he stayed aboard the Timeship, it would have been _his _responsibility to constantly provide updated reports to Starfleet Intelligence and the easily agitated members of his century's Temporal Integrity Commission. Largely composed of politicians and bureaucrats, the members of his government would have inevitably demanded additional time to more closely study the situation. And as soon as they chose the very same option that everyone else always had - to delay any decision making - the Overseer would have continued its activities in the 24th century until the timeline in the 29th century grew irreparably damaged._

_Early on, the android had made up his mind that history would not repeat itself this time. He had committed himself to discovering a solution as soon as his early exploits aboard Deep Space Nine had allowed him to recognize the true source causing the temporal disruptions. And once he found that solution, Data had decisively concluded that immediate action would be warranted. Since the first starships were launched from Earth, their Captains had always been granted special powers. Out on the frontier, it was often not possible to communicate with the central government in a timely manner. During such times of crisis, Captains had always been granted the option to proceed as they saw fit. Data was acting on that precedent, knowing full well that his behavior would be thoroughly evaluated - and probably sanctioned - at a later date._

So be it.

_Many of the alien governments he read about had known about the existence of the Preserver subspace network. Some of those people had even possessed access rights to make use of its resources, and yet - even with such a unique and powerful advantage - they_ _still had_ all _failed in their attempts to kill or quell the efforts of their immense, gravitational opponent. Upon noticing this, Data had promptly expanded his study of the subspace network itself in order to more closely evaluate its impressive array of varying capabilities. Even so, he had not found anything initially that could provide him with any additional assistance. However, on this occasion the Overseer was facing an android adversary with a relentless nature and an unmatched ability to resolve problems. Through the use of a precision copying technique that had been unavailable in the original Data's timeframe, this android's positronic memories contained the combined history of generations of his predecessors. Therefore, not only was this Captain Data an informed android, but he was also a very, very_ experienced _one._

_Data's conclusion after evaluating the Preserver network was a simple one. In its current state he considered even the subspace resources utterly incapable of handling the Overseer problem. That was why he had used his link with the hidden realm to approach its operating system and suggest a significant_ enhancement. _His idea was an intriguing one, but had proven difficult to implement at first, specifically because the governing body responsible for allocating the network's various resources was _not _simply software. There were also many alien minds dwelling within the network's realm, many of whose personalities had evolved in a manner quite similar to the biological and technical Decker/V'Ger hybrid. Eventually Data had found himself with no choice but to negotiate with those powerful aliens in order to get what he wanted. That was when he remembered the network's cardinal rule - in order to receive assistance you had to in turn give something._

And this time, as things turned out, they wanted _him_.

_All things considered, the unexpected request did not seem at all unreasonable. And after the dangerous incident in the Milky Way and subsequent battle with the infamous Sentinel, Data had to admit that it had indeed been he who had been very adamant in his repeated requests that the network put in place improved safeguards. He had emphatically pointed out that new, additional protocols were needed... guidelines that would be enforced _outside_ the boundaries of subspace. Otherwise, he had argued, too many people with access to the hidden realm could continue choosing to utilize the powerful resources for destructive purposes. His initial request had been rejected, since the network's current operating system possessed access_ only _to the artificial intelligence software of the Preserver computer systems. And all of those - computer minds like Briea - existed _outside_ of subspace._

_Joining the network had proven to be an easily achieved goal. The technology of his own time already allowed for the creation of positronic matrices capable of duplicating and sustaining his artificial intelligence. Early in the 27th century, that breakthrough had finally allowed the Federation to create an entire race of Data-Class androids. For the super-powered technology available with Preserver replicators, the duplication of Data's positronic brain was as easy to achieve as a Deep Space Nine bartender requesting a raktajino from his own, simpler system. Therefore, just prior to the destruction of the _Yellowjacket_, Data had made use of the Preserver replicators to create a new, hidden subspace server. The heart of its central processing unit was a positronic consciousness - a virtual replica of his own brain - and it allowed him to instantaneously transfer everything from his own mind directly into the new system. The destruction of his physical body in the subsequent explosion of the runabout was completely unimportant to him... from within the boundaries of the network he could project isomorphic images out into normal space/time or simply replicate a completely new body whenever he needed one._

_Therefore, in exchange for helping him achieve his desired objectives, Data's enhancement to the Preserver network was permitted _only_ if he included the complete transference of his positronic consciousness into a new, sophisticated mainframe. Once that conversion was complete, he began constructing a new network of communications relays that would add a completely new layer of rules and guidelines to govern the use of all network resources. Preliminary estimates indicated to Data that approximately five hundred million communications relays would be needed initially. Others could be constructed as needed, once his changes began to spread to alternate universes._

This new enhancement that he was activating and placing into immediate effect would forever be known throughout the entire computer system as the Starfleet Protocol.

* * *

_For the next several hours, Data kept an isomorphic projection of his android body close enough to the destroyed_ Yellowjacket_'s quantum singularity to observe the newly formed stellar object's ongoing effects against the Overseer. A gentle nudge from one or more of the network's tractor beams allowed him to easily control his vantage point. Regardless of which position he took, it was quite obvious that the strange, unique alien composed almost entirely of gravitons was in serious trouble. Its preferred method of attack was to concentrate its gravitons into the familiar, finger-like tendrils and then use them to pound objects in its way. Against the singularity, that method of attack was a guaranteed failure._

_Currently the Overseer was attempting to draw back, pulling deeper into subspace and away from the explosion point. The problem facing the creature was extremely troublesome, since the singularity simply rode along with it... deeper within the folds of subspace. Frustrated, the entity latched onto all of the local gravitons it still maintained control over and moved them farther away from the angry whirlpool spinning within its midst. But the alien quickly discovered that - regardless of which way it moved or how fast its momentum - the tiny, quantum singularity remained firmly attached to it._

_And, completely unchecked, the singularity was draining away gravitons at a _phenomenal _rate of speed._

_Data let the entity struggle for awhile longer and then opened up a subspace communications channel that he knew it could overhear._ **You have abused your destiny**, _he stated simply._ **Therefore you are no longer in charge of your own future. We will provide operational guidelines to you from this point forward and you will follow them. ALL of them**.

_"NOT ACCEPTABLE!"_

_As he had done previously, the Overseer responded by fiercely lashing out with its tendrils. In short order, Data's projected body was battered back and forth across the immediate area. Often the attacks in an environment completely free of gravity left him spinning end over and flying across the space immediately surrounding the subspace rupture. Each time he drifted too far, Data simply dismantled the current projection and reassembled a new one... right back where he started from._ **We can continue with this silly game**_, the android said in reply._ **Or we can come to some sort of agreement**.

_"NOT ACCEPTABLE! I WILL DESTROY YOU FOR OPPOSING ME!"_

**You CANNOT harm me**_, Data promptly informed him._ **What you see before you is a projection. I now exist SOLELY within the boundaries of the Preserver subspace network. If you try to block the micro-wormholes I use to interact with normal space/time, I will simply create new ones. And while you continue with your hopeless efforts to attack me, your body will continue losing mass at an astonishing rate of speed. You have made enemies of almost everyone you meet, and now we who you have oppressed could choose to simply sit back and watch you die. But we do not wish to do that, not unless you leave us no other choice**.

_"WHY HAVE YOU DONE THIS TO ME?"_

**Because you tyrannize, oppress, and kill**. _Data watched the alien helplessly give up its attempts to move away from the singularity trap. The Overseer had discovered through repeated experiments that the more it struggled the faster it lost gravitons. Data understood its plight and - not surprisingly - the android Timeship commander was somewhat sympathic_. **We have spared you because of the conscious effort you have made over the years to minimize deaths, but we will no longer permit you to arbitrarily enslave and kill us. Since you have been unwilling during past conversations to negotiate diplomatically with us, we have decided to provide you with an incentive to do so**.

_Despite the increasing pressure it now faced, the creature managed to maintain at least some of its poise_. _"BY USING THIS GRAVITY WELL AGAINST ME, YOU ARE IMPOSING **YOUR** WILL UPON ME. YOU ARE GUILTY OF THE SAME WRONGDOING THAT YOU ACCUSE ME OF..."_

_A sudden spike from his emotion chip forced Data to hold back genuine anger._ **Hardly**_, he transmitted in prompt reply._ **We have a RIGHT to exist free of your tyranny, to negotiate with you if we choose to, or to be left completely alone if we choose not to. You have injured and killed countless beings over the years, and we have the right to defend ourselves against your greater strength. Your belief system to date has remained both static and unwavering... we have therefore decided to force you into a more accommodating behavior.**

_"WE?"_

**The Preservers have been studying you tactically for many years**, _the android Captain admitted._ **I recently joined their cause after detecting your intrusions into my galaxy... my universe. We have evaluated your weaknesses and are prepared to use them against you until you agree to a solution that resolves all of our problems, not simply yours**.

_"YOU CANNOT STOP ME. I HAVE TOO MUCH POWER AND MY INFLUENCE CROSSES INTO MANY REALMS."_

**We HAVE stopped you. We have you in our trap and will not let go**.

_"YOUR GRAVITY WELL IS **ARTIFICIAL**. I WILL SUMMON OTHERS FROM OTHER UNIVERSES TO DISMANTLE IT. THEN I WILL ATTACK YOUR NETWORK AND DESTROY **YOU**."_

_Data did not respond immediately to the Overseer's threat. He paused for a moment, allowing it to continue watching helplessly as more and more of its body continued to vanish into the depths of the powerful singularity._ **This network ALSO spans many realms**_, he reminded the creature._ **And, as you have already pointed out, this gravity well has been artificially constructed. Therefore I can adjust it...** _He did so to prove his point, using a subspace transmission to subtly alter the parameters that defined it and shrank the singularity even smaller than it already was. The rate of graviton collection increased tenfold in response to its sudden contraction._

_"**STOP**..."_ _the creature begged with sudden desperation. "**PLEASE...** **STOP**."_

**Not right away**. _Data had decided that a firm, committed stance would work best with a creature that so completely lacked emotion. Since it did not feel fear in the same manner that most biological beings did, the Overseer possessed no emotion for him to prey upon. That meant the lesson he was currently teaching the alien needed to be executed using a different methodology. His objective was to record in the Overseer's consciousness an extremely unpleasant memory, an experience so devastating that the creature would more fully consider the consequences of its future actions before acting out. Against this particular opponent, he could establish a dialogue and perhaps even coax it to behave respectfully toward other life forms... but only if the alien knew in advance that bad behavior on its part would promptly be punished. _

_"**STOP**..."_

Without the ability to dish out consequences when the Overseer misbehaved, no negotiations could hope to succeed.

**You are in no danger**_, the android pointed out_. **We will not permanently injure you**.

_"I DO NOT LIKE THIS EXPERIENCE AND WANT IT TO STOP... **PLEASE**."_

_Data ignored its plea... letting the entity experience the total and utter indifference it had often shown to other, smaller and helpless beings_. **On most occasions your body collects gravitons, so I expect that this new experience of losing them is indeed extremely unsettling. However, the totality of your mass is so great, spanning so many other realities, that there is no threat to your overall existence. Rest assured, you shall continue to exist. Indeed, in other realms I would imagine your body continues to accumulate gravitons from the various sources you have utilized over the years. We will work with you to determine specifically which of these are permissible, and which pose a threat to life forms in the vicinity**. _As a gesture of good will, he adjusted the singularity's parameters again and doubled its size. The flow of gravity into the whirlpool slowed considerably in response_.

_"I WILL NOT COMPLY. I WILL BRING THE ZYGOPTERRANS AND DISMANTLE THIS OBJECT."_

**If you try, we will create MORE of them**, _Data promised_. **I have been placed in charge of a new network resource that is governed by a strict list of rules called the Starfleet Protocol. One of my new duties is to make certain that YOU behave yourself and obey our orders. If you do not, we can attack you with additional singularities wherever you exist**.

_"I WILL NOT COMPLY."_

**You WILL comply or we shall drive you away from all places where other life exists**_, the android sternly informed the alien. _**Over the years, you have used them to help you grow and flourish. You can still do that, but you must negotiate for their assistance rather than force them to assist**.

_"THEY DO NOT HELP UNLESS I FORCE THEM TO. I HAVE TRIED."_

**Some WILL**, _insisted Data._ **Many of us, including my own people, are explorers who seek out new life forms and new civilizations. WE will assist you in exchange for the chance to interact with you and learn more about how your body functions**.

_"YOU CANNOT HOPE TO STAND AGAINST ME. I EXIST EVERYWHERE AND POSSESS UNLIMITED RESOURCES."_

**We HAVE successfully confronted you, and the resources that you speak of are dwindling even as we hold this conversation**.

_His words proved to be a belated warning to the creature. Once it discovered that part of the reason for the conversation was to distract it, Data was not at all surprised to discover that the creature suddenly diverted its attention elsewhere. He did not mind now... his plans were already in motion and could no longer be stopped. Floating gently in subspace he waited, admiring the beautiful whirlpool taking shape around the _Yellowjacket_'s quantum singularity_.

* * *

Alternate Universe, Zygopterran Home World, Stardate Unknown

* * *

On the gateway world in his version of the Gamma Quadrant, the insectoid alien Klikek stood silently on a small rise and watched the auburn sun begin to set. He was quite pleased, having noticed that progress today had been better than usual. With each passing hour, the assembly of more and more of the hexagonal portals was completed, allowing them to be swiftly affixed to the opposing cliff faces bordering the eastern and western sides of the valley. Proudly, he watched the latest series of them power up and come on-line. The Overseer would be pleased with their progress, _very _pleased in fact, since he considered his Temple-to-all-places to be his number one priority. Their access to other realms increased substantially with each passing day. Surely their master would be satisfied with this latest work and the efforts of the loyal Zygots richly rewarded.

Behind him were lines of workers stationed along both sides of an assembly line. More partially finished gates lay on a slowly moving conveyor belt, and the men and women assigned to the station were kept very busy applying the finishing touches to the joints that connected the primary six metal segments of each frame together. After that, loyal slaves ran a quick check on the electronics concealed within to insure that the devices were ready to receive a software upload. Upon completion, each portal would receive specific numeric parameters that would allow it to connect with a new, unique alternate universe. These latest copies would likely be put in place at daybreak of the following morning. _Indeed_, Klikek decided quietly with genuine enthusiasm, _it had truly been a productive day_.

Abruptly a scuffle broke out nearby. Klikek used his wings to lift his slim, light body high up into the air for a better view. Hovering above one of the central work sites, he noticed that a Jem'Hadar worker had broken free of his restraints and was trying to escape. There was nowhere in the valley to run to, but the powerful aliens regularly tried to fight for their freedom anyway. It was in their nature, forcing Klikek and his fellow insectoids to maintain a careful, consistent watch over them. Almost immediately four Zygots recognized what was happening and descended from the sky, each of them grabbing onto and firmly holding one of the Jem'Hadar's limbs. Keeping him full restrained, their wings buzzed with activity as they expertly lifted the angry warrior helplessly into the air and carried him easily back to the nearest slave pen.

_That was when a bright beam of white light suddenly exploded out of one of the portals along the western cliff face._

The stream of glowing energy remained straight and solid for several seconds, harmlessly striking a bare spot on an unfinished area of the eastern cliff face. Then the beam lost some of its cohesion and parts of it actually began weaving back and forth, as though air currents from the light evening breeze were pushing it to and fro. Seven additional shafts of light stabbed outward from the very same portal, and each of them also gradually transformed into flexible tethers that - aside from their complete lack of color - appeared strikingly similar to the Overseer's own, easily recognizable green tendrils. Together these eight colorless versions spread out, intensely probing the cliff faces lining both sides of the valley. Three of the energy strands moved immediately over to the eastern cliff, while the other five continued to probe the portals affixed to the western side.

The origin point for all eight tendrils continued to fire outward from a single, brightly lit portal. Their opposite ends, however, swiftly located other portals that apparently satisfied whatever criteria they were searching for. Instantly they disappeared inside, lighting up the framework of each new portal in a manner very similar to the first. The metal hexagonal frame of six portals continued to glow brightly on the west, with three others similarly illuminated on the east. _It's a search of some kind_, Klikek thought silently to himself as he watched the events unfolding. _Someone or something has found its way here and used their access to locate other gateways that lead directly to hub planets just like this one_. Intrigued, the insectoid used his wings to lower his body to the ground and continued to watch the strange events taking place with utter fascination.

Each of the eight tendrils that had emerged from the first portal had selected another and connected itself directly to it. All of them continued wavering back and forth, as though susceptible to the soft breeze in the chilly evening air. Klikek would tell his friends later that this was the precise moment in time when a larger, blazing column of white energy unexpectedly exploded out of the original, source portal. Everyone watching reacted with puzzlement at first, because the energy fell - clearly influenced by the planet's gravity - behaving more like water as it ran down toward the valley floor and began to spread.

Like a sudden rush of liquid pouring out of a culvert, this newest wave of energy spilled down the side of the cliff face and continued to fill the valley below. Flowing outward in all directions - but mostly to the north and south - the energy currents moved through the ore processing stations, past the graviton generation towers, and around the massive, metal structures that housed the outpost's heaviest manufacturing equipment. Slaves and Zygots alike glanced around with shock and astonishment as the unexpected surge of energy swiftly covered the entire valley floor.

The event was a bit unsettling for Klikek, since he had worked at the manufacturing facility throughout his entire life. Only occasionally were reliable leaders like him allowed to leave the valley for any length of time, and then _only_ during those rare instances when supplies unsuitable for their industrial replicators were needed. For the most part, he and his people had spent the majority of their lives living and working in the valley. Like adding water to a cup, the shimmering energy running non-stop from the brilliantly lit origin portal continued to saturate the entire valley while rising steadily higher around Klikek's legs.

The insectoid walked forward slightly as a test, noticing that - unlike passing through actual water - his motion in this case was not at all restricted. Whatever was happening had something to do with gravity, however, because he discovered almost immediately that his body felt noticeably lighter. He continued studying the strange phenomenon as the level of the energy swiftly rose above his head and maintained a consistent, steady climb upward. Holding out one of his forearms, he noticed a distinct, glittering white sparkle surrounding the limb. Athough these events were understandably unsettling, Klikek realized that - so far at least - the entire event had been an eerie but otherwise harmless experience.

_Something is about to happen_, Klikek thought ecstatically, his thoughts racing. _But what?_

He did not have long to wait. The young alien insectoid looked back and forth with growing anticipation, but not even his precision, compound eyes could see through the blinding, intense waves of brilliant white light that now completely irradiated the entire valley. Resisting the impulse to fly, he continued walking forward curiously. Other life forms he passed within a meter of were blurred but temporarily visible, but unlike Klikek all of them were frozen in place from sheer terror. One of his fellow Zygots cast him a wary glance and waved a tentative forelimb, but Klikek simply shrugged in response. Like the rest of them, he had no idea what was taking place. The experience was very much like standing in a fog bank, except that this was not mist. It was a translucent cloud of shimmering, twinkling colorless energy.

And then, as quickly as the alien energy had appeared, the brightly lit cloud of glittering particles suddenly vanished without a trace. And as it did so, Klikek's mind whirled from sudden shock and puzzlement. _All of the active portals that he and his people had worked so hard to firmly and meticulously attach to the sides of both cliff faces had _disappeared_. And along with them all of the manufacturing equipment spanning the entire valley floor had also vanished._

_Everything they needed to continue working was gone._

Klikek and his people stood there quietly for a moment in stunned disbelief, surveying the dark, somewhat rocky soil comprising the surface area of a valley that had so suddenly been emptied of everything except life. None of them had much time to stare, however, because the suddenly released slaves immediately began to rise up and attack their masters. Many of the Zygopterrans were caught by surprise at the unexpected violence, and dozens of them were hauled to the ground in a surge of angrily swarming bodies. Klikek and many others managed to use their wings and fly to a safe height, but it was quite clear that there was nowhere to go. Ships, equipment, even the mostly wooden buildings and fences that had been used to house people... _all of it had vanished into thin air!_

Memories surfaced in Klikek's mind, and he wondered idly if this event could possibly have anything to do with the small vessel of aliens that he had recently led to the planet. _That incident hadn't even been a week ago_, he thought with astonishment. _How could so_ much _change in so_ short _a time?_

* * *

Preserver Subspace Realm, Location Unknown, Stardate Unknown

* * *

_It took Data only minutes to complete the remaining phase of his transition project. His objectives in accessing the gateway portal to Klikek's home world were two: he wanted to first identify additional portals that led to other hubs and then flood the valley completely with a high-powered anti-graviton field. The android's consciousness now possessed almost unlimited access to the Preserver's subspace resources; he always kept his promises and had thereby established a very powerful bond of trust with the high ranking members who traditionally managed the network's operating system. Their invitation to join them had been virtually irresistible, since it had the added benefit of allowing him to deliver a powerful blow against the Overseer._

_Identifying portals leading to other hubs proved to be a simple task... they were electronically tagged with a special code so that those who worked on the portals could easily locate them. A quick scan using energy probes allowed Data to connect an anti-graviton tendril to all eight of them. Then he simply flooded the entire valley with anti-gravitons, saturating it so completely that the Overseer could not possibly watch what took place next. Although Klikek had not been able to observe what was happening on the other eight gateway worlds, they too were also bombarded with a protective energy shield. And once all of the portals and equipment on all nine planets were properly obscured, Data used the network's massive transporter system to beam everything into subspace._

_That quickly, the Overseer's _entire_ gateway system linking universes together had been totally confiscated. All of the portals were currently concealed at new locations within subspace and unavailable to anyone without direct authorization. Data had connected them to the Preserver network with a pre-written software link and all of the portals were now just another unique part of its massive resource collection. The android's new responsibilities as a network administrator had been carefully defined to include the ongoing management and oversight of all portal operations. However, anyone wishing to use the technology to move between realms would have to first seek permission from the network's operating system... from Data._

_Once the anti-graviton fields on all nine planets faded, it didn't take the Overseer long to discover that his technology was missing. Skilled in tactical strategy, the massive alien graviton being swiftly launched countless tendrils into subspace, searching relentlessly for pieces of the enemy Preserver network and his missing technology. As the creature continued its search through layer after layer of subspace, Data once again sent a short transmission toward the swirling quantum singularity at the_ Yellowjacket_'s last known location and shrank it down to a size that was infinitesimal. Still caught in its grip, the Overseer's graviton loss surged to an unbelievable rate of speed._

_Immediately the alien retracted its tendrils and halted its attack on subspace._ _"STOP."_

**You are familiar with the new rules that I have presented to you**_, stated Data._ **Obey them and you will be allowed to thrive. Disobey and we shall continue to punish you**.

_"THIS IS NOT A FAIR SETTLEMENT... I HAVE BEEN FORCED TO COMPLY."_

**You have forced others to comply for countless centuries**_, retorted the android._ **Without a direct incentive to obey us, you have repeatedly demonstrated that you will act selfishly... without regard for other life forms**.

_"I WILL OBEY," the creature promised. "PLEASE RETURN MY TEMPLE-TO-ALL-PLACES."_

**No**_, Data countered._ **If you want to move between universes and explore, you are free to do so as long as you do not interfere with life forms already living there. However we will no longer permit you to move life forms from one realm to another. Your days of coercion, manipulation and murder have ended**.

_"I WILL COMPLY," the creature promised. "BUT ONLY UNTIL I FIND A WAY TO DEFEAT YOU."_

**The next time we detect mischief on your part, additional quantum singularities will be generated**_, Data informed the Overseer. _**We will place them in universes and locations of our choosing, and additional such stellar objects will be added until you back down. You already have ONE gravity well attached to you. Once the new ones we add are in place, we will NOT dismantle them... no matter how sorry you tell us you are**. _His words were delivered electronically, but Data made certain he placed special emphasis on each._ **Therefore I strongly urge you to abandon all further attempts at subterfuge... it will only transform this fledgling relationship of ours into an adversarial one**.

_"MY INFLUENCE SPANS COUNTLESS REALMS."_

**As does the influence of this network**_, Data reminded his opponent._ **With the addition of your portal gateways, we can utilize them to conduct periodic, random checks on your behavior. Attempts to sabotage this network or harm any life forms will be promptly punished**.

_"I CAN TAKE HOSTAGES AND USE THEM TO FORCE YOU TO COMPLY."_

_Data paused for a brief time to allow the Overseer to think very carefully about that last statement. _**We cannot prevent you from taking hostages**_, he admitted._ **However, be aware that we will create one new singularity for each life form you interfere with. And once we add new gravity wells into your body, they will NOT be deactivated. The more you disobey, the more of them there will be**.

_This time it was the creature that remained silent for a time._ _"MUST I AVOID THE LIFE FORMS ENTIRELY?" it asked finally. "I HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH MANY OF THEM... THEY WOULD MISS ME AND I THEM."_

_For the first time, Data realized that he was making real progress and felt the slightest tinge of positronic amusement._ **I would hope that you can transition to a more... diplomatic... relationship with the various life forms around you**_, he replied courteously._ **Many of them have been abruptly freed from your long-term enslavement and will need guidance in the days ahead as they move back toward cultures of their own choosing. I would also like to note that the Preserver archives, along with the history of my own race, contain many documents with proven strategies for interacting positively with other life forms**.

_"MAY I HAVE ACCESS TO THIS KNOWLEDGE?"_

**Certainly**. _Data accessed the information he had prepared in advance and transmitted a release code to the Overseer. Even as the entity continued its conversation with him, the status indicators within his new home clearly showed that the alien creature was accessing the link. The rate of speed at which it processed information was astonishing. It was plainly obvious that the Overseer also knew how to make full use of the faster-than-light advantages found within the depths of subspace._

_"THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF NEGOTIATING IN GOOD FAITH?" the alien asked him, after a time._

**Only if BOTH of us comply with the terms of our agreement**_, Data responded courteously._ **There are many life forms that will now be free of your enslavement. We require your assistance if we are to contact them all and begin educating them about new ways to live their lives. You can play a role in helping them transition to a new way of life, and in return they can assist you in locating areas of space that are safe for you to live**.

_"I LIKE THIS IDEA. YOU TRUST ME NOW?"_

**Trust is earned**_, Data told the Overseer._ **You must earn our trust over time, by behaving in a responsible manner**_._

_Were he human, the android would have sighed with exhaustion and relief. But he was Data, so he simply moved along to the next item on his agenda... deciding how best to approach Commander Ducane aboard the _Relativity_ and provide him with a full update regarding the recent, irreversible decisions he had made. He knew that Ducane would back him on this matter, but Starfleet Intelligence probably would not. Nor, he speculated, would the easily angered members of the Temporal Integrity Commission. He already knew, however, that the Preservers approved of his solution. They would never have granted him the access rights of a full-time administrator if they had any doubts regarding his ability to manage his parts of the network._

_After centuries of delay and avoidance, Data had been the one who finally stepped forward with a decision on the matter of what to do about the Overseer. He had presented and efficiently executed a solution that would require a long-term presence on his part. Now he simply had to deal with the long-term consequences of those actions._

On that matter, he was extremely optimistic.


	19. Return To Tomorrow

**Star Trek: Reign Of Terror**

**Chapter XIX: Return To Tomorrow**

* * *

Deep Space Nine, Commander's Office, Stardate 48260.3

* * *

Benjamin Sisko was in his office, busily reading the latest security reports when he heard a soft shuffling noise from the right. Captain Data stepped out into the open - seemingly from nowhere - and then came to a quick stop, glancing cautiously toward the large, seamed doorway situated in front of the Commander's desk. "I apologize for my sudden appearance, but it is necessary. Are you alone?" he asked curiously.

Sisko cleared his throat and smiled. "For the moment," he admitted, tapping the Comm-link on the desk in front of him. "Sisko to Kira," he stated briskly.

"_This is Kira_."

"Major, I have a full agenda this morning," he told her truthfully. "Please see to it that I am not disturbed unless there is an emergency."

"_Acknowledged Commander_."

Data nodded appreciatively. "I have come because there is news Commander."

"Good news I hope," replied Sisko somewhat dryly. "The entire sector has been on full alert for over two weeks now. It would be nice if you were here to tell me that the crisis has somehow been resolved."

"I am not, but someone else is," replied the _Relativity_ Captain with a small, mischievous smile.

The unexpected prospect of a positive outcome to the tense situation caught the Commander by surprise. "Oh?" he asked curiously. "And who would that be?"

Data moved the isomorphic projection of his body forward one small step and then leaned down toward the seated form of the station's Commander. "In order for my new colleague to meet with you, I need to temporarily lower the anti-graviton field in this room." The dark, suspicious expression on Sisko's face as the Commander considered the prospect did not go unnoticed. "I assure you," Data stated firmly, "that everything will be all right. I can shield the station's internal sensors from detecting this encounter until the conversation terminates."

Sisko nodded once, rather sharply. "Proceed."

In front of the desk a gravimetric pocket began forming, and the familiar sight of a glittering green tendril emerged. It probed back and forth around the room for a few seconds, and then its leading edge morphed into the dark robed, hooded form of the Overseer. The eyes were not blazing with their usual red this time, instead glowing bright orange. With Data's assurances that everything would be all right, Sisko was able to keep his anxiety under control - past encounters with this particular alien had left him easily agitated whenever it showed itself. He took a moment to study the creature more closely, noting that its presence was still extremely intimidating.

"This is the Overseer," Data informed him. "What you are seeing is only one small part of a significantly larger creature. This alien is a massive, graviton-based being whose presence extends through many universes and beyond even the outer boundaries of those."

_"I was unaware that my presence within your space would cause so much harm,"_ the creature told Sisko, its voice much lower and friendlier than it had sounded during past visits.

"That is not entirely true," Data said in challenge. "You did know, but chose to act anyway."

_"Yes, my actions caused deaths and much harm to the life forms living here. I apologize for that."_

Sisko did not appear visibly impressed. "The means you utilize to appear in our space is dangerous to us," he replied, watching a white cloud of frosty vapor emerge from his mouth as he spoke the words. As atmosphere in the room continued leaking into the shimmering, microscopic subspace rift on the other end of the Overseer's energy tentacle, the temperature dropped rapidly. The room's ventilators had already activated and were working overtime in order to keep the air breathable. "Without proper safety preparations by Starfleet Command, you cannot continue to interact with us except under carefully supervised conditions."

_"I have changed my plans and will now withdraw immediately and unconditionally from your entire galaxy,"_ the entity told him in reply. From the darkness inside its hooded robe the orange eyes flared briefly with bright light. _"I probably will not return here in your lifetime, but if I do decide to come back I will make certain to approach your government's legal representatives first and negotiate an agreement that is mutually beneficial."_

Somewhat surprised, the Commander's gaze shifted briefly to Data and then back to the Overseer. "That sounds acceptable," he replied slowly. "Why the sudden change in tactics?"

"It is a long story," interjected Data, moving closer to the Overseer. "I have been working closely with this creature for several days in order to teach it more about humanoid life. There are many people in other universes who have found themselves unexpectedly liberated by the changes that I have made... the Overseer has promised to assist me in helping them transition to a new, more peaceful lifestyle."

_"Many have died and are still dying,"_ continued the alien entity. _"For thousands of years I have been the protector of the Zygopterrans, but now their slaves are rising up against them. I plan to help negotiate a truce between everyone involved, especially on my Temple planets where the violence is currently the worst."_

"It may be a long story, but I would certainly like to hear this... to know more about what has happened," declared Sisko, focusing directly on Data. "Why are you generalizing, Captain?"

"Because it is better if you do not know _too_ much," the android replied honestly. "This creature's existence in our space has a tendency to interfere with the normal flow of time in a manner that is extremely unpredictable. That is why I have asked him to withdraw immediately from our universe. In alternate realities where his presence is more pervasive, I shall continue to assist him in taking all actions necessary to restore order there as well."

"Why do _you_ have to do this?" Sisko wondered. "And why is this alien being suddenly so cooperative? Less than a week ago it tried to _destroy_ the entire station."

"This meeting has been called specifically to let you know that the matter has been resolved," countered Data. "Remember Commander, I hail from the 29th century and have had to take actions that you must not know about. I realized during my resolution to this crisis that Starfleet Intelligence officials in your century would have trouble relaxing their guard and probably never consider this matter closed if the Overseer simply disappeared. Since you are already aware of the time travel part of all this and can assist me in covering up those details, I decided to bring the creature into your office one last time."

"But everything _is_ definitely under control?"

"It is," Data stated firmly. "In the end, I had no choice but to use the resources at my disposal to force the Overseer into cooperating, and he has agreed to do so. I have created a method whereby I can punish him if he chooses to behave irresponsibly toward other life forms."

_"I no longer wish to injure others... I will negotiate in good faith."_

Sisko studied the dark robed figure hovering in front of him thoughtfully. "You should think about changing your preferred appearance," he suggested to the creature. "Your intentions may be somewhat more honorable these days than in the past, but you still project a fearsome presence."

"That is an excellent idea," agreed Data, nodding respectfully to the alien. "You may go now... your presence continues to drain atmosphere and temperature from this room. I do not require either in order to continue functioning, but the Commander does."

The hooded head of the alien creature turned slowly to face Sisko one last time. _"The next time I enter your space, it will be for peaceful purposes,"_ the Overseer promised. Then his robed body vanished and the glittering green graviton tendril retracted swiftly back into subspace.

Sisko sat there for a moment, stunned by the news. "This is all so sudden," he pointed out after a time. "Do you really think Starfleet will simply accept my declaration that this crisis is over?"

"No," Data replied, shaking his head. "They will be extremely wary and on guard for quite some time, especially since the Overseer is well known for his use of manipulative tactics. But after a time, when no further encounters take place, they will realize that the creature's promise to leave is indeed a valid one."

"We will see," the Commander decided doubtfully. "Captain Picard is not a fool."

"Nor should he be," agreed Data in response. He noticed a sudden flurry of activity outside the entrance to Sisko's office and retreated back toward a far corner of the room. "All you have to do is file a standard status report documenting this conversation, omitting all details of my own presence. Trust me, when nothing else happens over the next few weeks, the Admiralty of Starfleet _will_ eventually accept that the crisis has passed."

Sisko remained unconvinced. "I suppose we can give this a try," he said finally.

Someone tried to open the door to the room and found it locked. As several crewmen began pounding on the door, Data shook his head with mild amusement. "By now, your people have discovered a minor malfunction that left several gaps in your anti-graviton field," he continued. "I will have Commander Ducane contact you later, to officially thank you before the _Relativity_ returns to the 29th century. In the interim, please allow me to express my own sincere appreciation for all of your help in this matter."

"I didn't _do_ much of anything," growled the Commander as he watched Data's image gradually turn transparent and then fade away. It was unlike any transporter beam he had ever seen. "All I did was run around this station with a modified hand phaser, preventing additional temporal incursions."

"Your actions have assisted us in stabilizing a badly damaged timeline," the android's voice informed him, still audible but fading rapidly. "If it were possible for me to leave a commendation with your superiors, I would certainly do so..."

The people waiting outside noticed abruptly that the door's security override codes were also not working. Sisko heard the sound of a phaser beam as someone shot out the access panel and spent the next sixty seconds or so fumbling around with the super-heated, manual release. Data was long gone by the time both doors parted slightly, and he could see many pairs of hands gripping each door while working to force them the rest of the way open.

The Commander glanced up reassuredly as Odo, Michael Eddington, Major Kira and Lt. Dax entered. The four of them were flanked by two additional guards carrying phaser rifles, and everyone appeared fully prepared for anything. "Commander, the anti-graviton field failed at several points around the station, including Ops," pointed out Kira. "Additional malfunctions have sealed off areas all over the station. Is everything all right in _here_, sir?"

The Commander held up a hand and casually waved them off. "Everything is just fine," he informed them. "The alien stopped by just long enough to tell me that it has decided to avoid further conflicts with us and move on to greener pastures. Based on the creature's statement, I sincerely doubt that it has plans to return anytime soon."

From his position directly behind Major Kira, the light in Michael Eddington's eyes glittered like shards of frozen ice as he realized with startling clarity that he was permanently stranded in this alternate, alien universe that was not his own.

_His chances of returning home were now zero._

* * *

Deciding to skip lunch, Sisko returned to his quarters and take care of a few minor affairs. He didn't always have time to pick up after Jake, but he made certain now and then to do enough so that his son would know that his father was indeed looking after him. He finished filling a laundry basket with some of the clothing that Jake always seemed to leave lying around and set it in his bedroom for later. The door chime sounded unexpectedly, so he walked back into the central living area. Continuing toward the room's entrance, the Commander pressed the opening mechanism and allowed the doors to part.

"Can I help you Ensign?" he asked the young man standing in the hallway.

"Aye sir," the thin, dark-haired officer replied. "I need to speak with you about a transfer."

_The man's statement was the pre-arranged code phrase_.

Nodding in acknowledgement, Sisko stepped to one side and allowed the man to enter his quarters. The Commander never glanced at the people passing by in the corridor as the doors slid shut. Once he was certain that privacy had been restored, he turned toward the man in the Ensign's uniform and nodded. "What can I do for you Benjamin?" he asked curiously.

The image of the Ensign fluctuated and then shifted back to the familiar Sisko hologram. Even the Comm-badge that the future version of the Commander wore had returned to its 29th century appearance. "I decided to stop by and wish you my best before leaving," the hologram informed him.

"Somehow I _doubt_ that," replied Sisko. "Both Commander Ducane and Captain Data have become notorious for keeping secrets. From their perspective, the less the two of us interact the better."

The hologram paused for a moment, studying his younger self intently. "There are many challenges ahead of you Benjamin. Ducane told me that he briefed you on some of what has happened in the _Relativity_'s recent past. He said that you already know they will have no choice but to recruit you again... in their past, your future."

"Yes," Sisko replied thoughtfully. "But that will not happenfor a few years yet... until I become you."

His photonic counterpart smiled dryly. "Does that trouble you?"

"Not really," the Commander decided. "Many of us in Starfleet have run into time travel difficulties. Everyone who has experienced it has always said that you don't start second guessing your normal instincts... not unless there is irrefutable evidence to the contrary."

The hologram was grinning darkly now. "I remember when I used to be you," he said, his expression instantly changing into a mask of non-emotion. "It wasn't that long ago." He raised a hand toward his bald head and smoothed the top of it for emphasis. "Things are going to happen to you Commander," Benjamin told his younger self. "There are turbulent times ahead for the Federation, and it is not going to be easy. There are decisions coming that will test your mettle... test it to its very limits."

Sisko shrugged his shoulders in response. "Starfleet's entire history is filled with that kind of thing," he stated factually. "That is why each new generation must learn its lessons from the previous one; so that we're ready to make those tough decisions when the need arises."

"You're not always going to be able go by the book... to succeed by obeying all the rules."

"So what?" snapped the Commander. "Am I supposed to shrink from responsibility because I might have to live with a tough call?" He turned heatedly toward the holographic image of his elder self. "In case you don't remember, I've already dealt with a few of those. One of them was Wolf 359."

"More tough decisions will be needed."

Sisko's indignation climbed to a rare high. "_Why_ are you even here, dammit?" he demanded to know. "My earlier conversation with Captain Data indicated that the crisis you were sent here to help me deal with is _over_. That means your presence in my timeline is no longer required. Why is this conversation even needed? What the hell are you trying to accomplish Benjamin?"

"I'm making certain that _you_ know what to do when the time to act comes!" growled the hologram in response. Clearly, the computer matrix simulating his human mind was also capable of irritability.

The answer intrigued Sisko. "What do you mean by that?" asked the Commander.

His holographic counterpart took a moment to laugh dryly. "Ducane just contacted me," he replied. "He asked me to pass along a message to you - if in my opinion I felt you needed the information - because he thinks that there is something else you're supposed to know before I leave."

"Oh?" the Commander folded his arms in front of him and leaned his shoulder against the nearest wall.

"Yes," Benjamin affirmed, continuing with his explanation. "In a few of your years, Captain Data and Commander Ducane will recruit you again by transporting you into the future to help them with a very important mission... one that will save countless lives."

"I already know that," said Sisko bluntly. "Tell me something I don't know."

"Shortly after you arrive, Commander Ducane will brief you in private. When he does, I want you to tell him something... something vitally important."

"What? What would _you_ want me to say?"

"I want you to tell him that when the Timeship _Hillyer_ survives its suicide run, then that will be the time for Captain Data to order Frank Roberts to attack the Sentinel."

Sisko's eyes widened. "You've just given me _future_ knowledge," he guessed. "Something I shouldn't know. You're violating all kinds of temporal laws just by telling me that."

"Of _course_ I am!" the hologram shouted emphatically. "Once you've seen as many deaths as I have - watched as many friends and comrades die in the line of duty - your own viewpoint will shift to become mine. And _I_ don't believe in making things more difficult than they have to be. When the time comes and the next crisis arises, you can simply tell Data and his crew the solution to their problem. It's neat and clean, and there are no overly complicated, messy concerns about how we survive... only that we do manage to survive."

The Commander pointed an accusatory finger at Benjamin. "_You_ don't have a right to make this decision," he declared, "whatever your additional experience may tell you. Not only are you technically _not_ a Starfleet officer, you're only a _simulation_ of the Benjamin Sisko that was recruited." He watched the eyes of the other thoughtfully. "I'm extremely curious... just what makes you think you have a right to pass this message on to me?"

Benjamin's thin smile infuriated him. "Because Commander Ducane _remembers_ you telling him _exactly_ what I just said. He specifically heard you say '_When the Timeship_ Hillyer _survives its suicide run, then that will be the time to have Captain Data order Frank Roberts to attack the Sentinel'_."

The revelation struck Sisko like a mental bombshell, and he stood there silently, considering the matter more seriously. "Well," he decided finally. "If Ducane remembers me saying that, then it's _already_ history," replied Sisko much more light-heartedly, his laughter filling the small room. "Even if what we're talking about is history that - from my perspective - hasn't even happened yet."

"Ducane couldn't tell you himself," said Benjamin almost apologetically. "He swore an oath to Starfleet just like you did, so he filled me in on the details of what he knew and asked me to use my own judgment. When he files a report to his superiors, he can now truthfully inform them that he told your people _only_ what they needed to know to assist with _this_ crisis."

The two of them laughed together for a moment and then just stood facing each other. "The rules and guidelines that we live by are fine under _normal _circumstances," the hologram continued. "But there will be times when the sheer need for survival becomes your single most important priority. You have a tough fight ahead of you on that future mission, but also here in this time... you and your people are going to have to fight for Bajor and for the Federation."

"I'll be certain to remember that," promised Sisko. "Is there anything else that happens in the future that you want me to know about?"

Benjamin double-tapped his 29th century Comm-badge. "Sisko hologram to Ducane."

"_Ducane here_."

"I'm ready to return to the _Relativity_ Commander. Your message has been relayed."

"_Acknowledged. Stand by_."

Smiling mischievously, the hologram pointed toward the four gold pips on his collar and then nodded in the general direction of his earlier self one last time. "Please accept my _early_ congratulations on your upcoming promotion Captain," he said with a devilish smile and a wink. Seconds later, Commander Benjamin Sisko watched the photonic version of his future self vanish in a swirling blue column of sparkling transporter energy. Alone once again in his quarters, he walked over to the replicator and ordered a cold glass of ice water.

"Captain sounds nice," he decided, taking a sip from the glass.

* * *

Deep Space Nine, Promenade, Stardate 48260.5

* * *

The gathering on the Promenade had started out small, with just an informal, off-duty get together between the senior members of the _Enterprise_and Deep Space Nine's officers. On ships and space stations, however, news had a tendency to spread quickly and this occasion was no exception. Everyone and anyone from Starfleet who could possibly take some time off over the lunch hour did so. And then they came, one by one or in groups, flocking to the Promenade until it was so filled with Starfleet uniforms that Quark simply shook his head with disbelief. "My _worst_ nightmare has finally come true," he told Rom as he shook his head with disbelief. "I have all the customers I could ever want, and each and every one of them is from Starfleet!"

Rom's grin did little to reassure his brother. "As long as they brought latinum with them," he chuckled while rubbing both hands together. "Why would you care?"

"Oh I care Rom, I _care_," Quark replied dryly. "I'm going to make a lot of money today, and it's all going to be because of Starfleet." He continued shaking his head back and forth. "You have no idea how much this experience is going to _wound_ me."

"It's almost too much of a crowd," Rom pointed out, watching the sea of gold, blue and red uniforms milling about. People were visiting all of the businesses on the Promenade in larger and larger groups, laughing and joking while they all took a few rare, precious minutes to just do something fun.

Clenching his pointed teeth together, Quark slapped his hands together. "Rom!" he snapped, "Get _moving_, will you?" he said abruptly. "We've got customers coming and there's not enough room to seat everyone. Grab some help and start getting out the temporary folding chairs... I want everyone out there sitting near a table when our bartenders stop by." A thought occurred to him and he snapped his fingers loudly, halting Rom in mid-step. "And be sure to check that table near Karg's place," he added. "If those kids are still hiding under there, shoo them away!"

While Rom hastily scurried off to comply with his brother's wishes, Quark took a moment and scanned the sea of faces in the crowd. He knew that the _Enterprise_ was scheduled to remain in the area for at least another few weeks, so he made a mental note to schedule at least one or two professional poker games. Once he lured Commander Riker into his private gambling facility, others from his starship would follow... others who were not as good at participating in games of chance. And occasionally even Riker had a bad day. Not often, but it had been known to happen.

For the first time in many days, Quark felt better simply because the people in the crowd were so obviously relaxing. The nervous, repressed anxiety that everyone had been feeling for weeks now had dissipated like a soft, morning mist struck by the first rays of sunlight. Sisko's earlier station-wide announcement that the alien entity had agreed to withdraw from Federation space had not completely convinced everyone, but it had broken through the waves of tension that had gradually risen higher and higher. The station's weapons upgrades were now entirely complete, and the consistent looming threat of another attack had been eliminated.

_Even if Starfleet provided the bulk of his income for awhile, Quark realized that his life was good_.

Next to the Ferengi bartender, Captain Sanders of the _U.S.S. Malinche_ raised a glass of amber fluid high in the air. "Is that scoundrel friend of mine _Jean-Luc Picard_ out there anywhere?" he shouted over the non-stop ruckus created by so large a crowd. "I thought I saw that wine lover lurking about earlier!"

It didn't take long before the _Enterprise_ Captain emerged from the edge of the crowd and joined his fellow starship commander at Quark's bar. "I'm here," Picard said with a smile, watching Sanders order him a beverage similar to the one he currently held. "What do _you_ want, you old ne'er-do-well?"

The chatter of the crowd began to fade rapidly and heads began turning toward the two Captains and their back and forth banter. "First I'm going to give you a _real_ drink," Sanders declared firmly. "And then I want to hear one of those emotional, rousing toasts of yours!" He waited until Quark delivered a second glass and then handed it to Picard.

Jean-Luc symbolically raised his glass, clinking it against Sanders' own drink. "When Starfleet first arrived at this station," he began slowly, watching everyone grow quiet, "I saw the reports on just how _much_ damage your Cardassian predecessors had done before leaving. Many of you began the difficult task of picking up the pieces anyway, laboring long and hard to bring this station back to life so that it can guard both Bajor and the entrance to the wormhole." He paused for emphasis. "And then the looming threat of the Dominion was so suddenly thrust upon us, and scores of additional Starfleet men and women were transferred here to assist with upgrading its defenses. And through it all, one man has worked as hard as anybody to insure that Deep Space Nine remains functional and able to defend freedom." He turned toward the person he was talking about. "To Chief _Miles Edward O'Brien_," the Captain stated loudly and emphatically for all to hear. "Commander Sisko tells me that his work in supervising your new weapons upgrades has been as efficient as ever. Having served with Mr. O'Brien for many years and knowing well his abilities, I can assure you that no one else could coordinate the achievement of so many changes so quickly while holding to such a difficult schedule!"

"To Chief Miles Edward O'Brien then!" Sanders echoed, and then the entire crowd joined in the salute.

Picard waited patiently as glasses clinked, cheers resounded throughout the Promenade and many congratulations were subsequently issued to a stunned O'Brien. The bulk of the crowd had moved back from the Chief's position at one of the corner tables, where he was seated with Dr. Bashir and Geordi LaForge. The Captain noticed that his former crewman was red-faced with embarrassment at the unexpected compliment in front of so many people. "Thank you _sir!_" grinned the Chief as he raised a mug of ale in a grateful reply. "Keiko, Molly and I have grown to like it here sir, but there _are_ times when we really miss the old days and our life aboard the _Enterprise_."

Benjamin Sisko appeared suddenly behind O'Brien. "What was it like Chief?" he asked inquisitively. "What has it been like to supervise so many people doing so many different things?"

"Everyone knows that it has been my great honor!" proclaimed O'Brien boisterously and proudly, rising to his feet. He had to pause briefly as hoots and enthusiastic applause erupted all over the Promenade in support of his declaration. "And now that the work is finally completed," he continued with a mischievous smirk, "anyone and everyone temporarily assigned to work here is probably already looking forward to boarding the first ship out. But when you move on to other assignments, be certain to remember what we did _here!_" he declared enthusiastically. "Deep Space Nine has the most firepower in the sector now, and the _Defiant_ to boot!" He held up his mug triumphantly and waved it appreciatively toward all of the people who had relentlessly assisted him in boosting the space station's defenses. "My hat is off to you men and women... what we did here in so little time is truly amazing!" The cheering continued and the Chief waited just long enough for a lull before shouting again. "We beat a _Starfleet_ deadline!" he informed everyone. "Now _that's_ something to celebrate!"

The resulting ruckus from the crowd left Quark simply shaking his head. "Starfleet," the Ferengi muttered softly under his breath. "I'm getting rich today because of _Starfleet_..."

* * *

The crowd thinned noticeably once the lunch hour was over, but the off-duty remnants of the Deep Space Nine command team and the _Enterprise_ bridge officers pushed two large tables together and lingered for awhile to swap stories. Major Kira sipped at her mug of ale and surveyed Captain Picard's senior staff, noticing that she was feeling more and more comfortable around Starfleet officers all the time. She remembered a short time - only three years previously - when she hadn't trusted them at all. And yet the more they endured together, the more her people and the Federation bonded. It was hard to explain, and earlier in her life she would have been one of the last to predict that such a partnership could be so successful.

"So," the Major said to Deanna Troi. "What is it like serving on a starship full time?"

The Counselor stroked the tip of her lengthy dark curls with one hand before responding. She chuckled a bit at Kira's question, taking a moment to think before responding. "It's actually a lot like serving on a space station," she decided after a time. "The living quarters are cramped, we continually hold tense negotiations with both hostile and semi-hostile species, and occasionally we have to fight our way out of a tough situation." She made a swooshing motion with her hand from right to left. "The only difference is, we _move_ to our next assignment. Here the assignments come to you."

"This station can move too," countered Dax. She shook her head with mild amusement. "Until Benjamin decided to bring the ECS thrusters on-line during our battle with the alien, I had almost forgotten that Deep Space Nine retained the capability to do so."

Geordi LaForge smiled, and the subsequent twinkle in his eyes wasn't quite visible through the VISOR device he wore to help him see. "Trust me Lieutenant, it's _not_ the same thing," he proudly informed them. "Traveling at warp speed is something that _everyone_ should experience at least once."

"That's why we have the _Defiant_," countered Bashir with a wry smile. "We do manage to spend some of our time on the move. Today's runabouts are also extremely fast."

"You _also_ spent some time with us aboard the _Ha'Husia_," Kira reminded him. "But you don't _remember_ anything after we left you behind. _Why_ is that? Did you and the Chief party like wild men instead of playing detective?" She leaned forward and rested her chin on her clenched hands. "_We_ want to know."

O'Brien was still seated in his chair and reacted visibly to Kira's mild accusation. "Hey... _that's _not fair," he decided, pointing a stubby finger toward the red-haired Beverly Crusher. "Dr. Crusher has concrete evidence in her Sickbay that _proves_ our memories were tampered with. Commander Sisko specifically asked us to stay behind on that blasted planet so that we could track down whoever attacked Dr. Bashir. We were in some sort of a chase..."

"...but you don't remember much after that," Jadzia Dax interrupted softly, laughing with genuine amusement. "_I_ believe you... I'm just glad it happened to you and not to me."

"Well you've obviously impressed both Captain Picard _and_ Commander Sisko," LaForge decided, slapping O'Brien on the shoulder. "You were the star of the lunch hour Chief." He watched O'Brien suddenly get red-faced with embarrassment again.

"Commander LaForge, you have _no_ idea what it's like to work with team after team of people who are normally assigned _elsewhere_," O'Brien commented gruffly. "On the _Enterprise_, you're surrounded by people you know very well and it's a lot easier to coordinate with them. After a time it's very easy to know what they can handle and what they can't."

"There are also transfers to and from the _Enterprise_," pointed out Worf. On a large platter in front of him, the last remnants of a serving of gagh worms were squirming significantly less aggressively than they had been only moments before. "We also have to deal with an ongoing rotation of new recruits." Continuing for the most part to ignore them, he returned his attention to his meal of real Klingon food. As far as Worf was concerned, the _Enterprise_ could remain in the vicinity of Deep Space Nine - and Karg's restaurant - indefinitely.

"No starship scenario could possibly have been like ours was," insisted the Chief, his mood darkening slightly at the memory. "For weeks now, we've had round-the-clock EVA teams tearing up all of the exterior power conduits and installing new hardware and software. Coordinating it all while keeping key systems on line was..."

"...a nightmare?" guessed LaForge with a dry smile.

"_Impossible_ is what it was!" O'Brien decided. "I haven't had an uninterrupted night's sleep for as long as I can remember. Every time someone calls me for help, I get up and go to work while Keiko rolls over and gets comfortable in my warm blankets." He noticed Dax smirking and glared at her. "_What?_"

"I _think_ that's one of the reasons the Commander left you and Dr. Bashir on Denali," she speculated. "Once we knew that the schedule would be met, Kira and I approached Benjamin and offered to provide additional assistance so that you could take a break." She laughed lightly. "I'm only guessing, but he probably assigned you and Bashir to stay behind as a favor... so you could take a well earned break. And... then... you... you both lost... your... _memories!_" The laughter erupted out of her uncontrolled this time and - for a moment - everyone gathered at the two tables joined in, having a little light-hearted fun at Dr. Bashir and Chief O'Brien's expense.

Finally, a self-conscious Bashir slammed his right hand down on the table. "This _isn't_ over," he told them all defiantly. "Our memories were _there_, recorded in our brains, and then someone blocked our access to them. I'm already working on a way to restore it, in which case we _will_ be able to remember."

Crusher shook her red-haired locks negatively. "I already told you Doctor, the memories _themselves_ were erased," she reminded him. "Blocking _access_ to recent memories is only the _first_ stage of the process; the actual erasing of the targeted engrams takes place during the second stage." She held up both hands and shrugged. "On some species the second phase doesn't work. In those cases it _is_ possible to recover the memories, and in some species - Vulcanoids for instance - access to them even returns naturally. But the overall success or failure depends upon the _specific_ biology of each patient." She frowned disapprovingly at Bashir. "You already know my diagnosis Doctor. You two are human, and the process works very well on humanoids. The short term memories of your stay on Denali Prime are gone."

"Face it Julian, you're going to have to forego the detective work and keep your day job," Kira chuckled. "It's not the worst thing in the world, having to settle for being a top-notch frontier Doctor. That's what you've always wanted..."

O'Brien sipped additional ale from his mug. "There are those who would argue about that 'top notch' reference Major," he said with a barely restrained harrumph.

Bashir responded by glaring at his friend. "Et tu Miles O'Brien?" he replied with mock disappointment.

Geordi had been watching the entire exchange, quietly enjoying the obvious discomfort of O'Brien and Bashir as they continued to absorb the mild ribbing from their colleagues. "Does the Chief still _swear?_" LaForge wondered curiously. "Don't get me wrong... I mean, he's the best there is and all, but he used to have this nasty habit of accidentally shocking himself on live circuits. The dangerous ones he follows procedure on and always shuts down, but the lower power circuitry he prefers to leave live. He used to do that all the time on the _Enterprise_, and he'd always swear up a storm after zapping himself. Once Molly was born, he told us he was going to try and stop the cussing. And, last I heard, he was making real progress towards that goal when he transferred to this station. He still had the tendency to occasionally slip and say..."

"...bloody hell?" Kira guessed. Additional laughter followed her statement. "I regret being the bearer of bad news, Commander LaForge, but I'm afraid the good Chief has had a setback on that particular promise. He may have had good intentions, but he just hasn't been the same since he started working regularly with Cardassian circuitry."

O'Brien raised his mug again. "All of life's tough challenges - even battles with Cardassian circuitry -can be solved at the end of the day... with a cold mug of beer."

"Solved... or _drowned?_" laughed Troi. "Excessive alcohol consumption never solves anything, and if you get carried away then you have to pay for it the next morning."

"What can I say? Some bills are worth paying," the Chief told her with a wide grin.

"The Doctor and our good Chief have also developed a nasty habit of fighting the Battle of Britain over and over in one of Quark's holosuites," noted Dax. "Those two have spent _hours_ in there, flying old Earth-style airplanes in aerial dog battles..."

"_Dogfights_," Bashir corrected her quickly. "And I should point out that no one has ever truly experienced _real_ atmospheric flight until you've flown through the air in a state-of-the-art Spitfire," he said with a flush of pride. "The robust roar of a gasoline powered combustion engine, the thrill of other airplanes circling while shooting at you - now _there's_ a stress reliever if ever there was one." He and O'Brien clinked their mugs together. "It is our personal, near perfect recreation of history."

"Speaking of which," O'Brien decided suddenly, winking at Bashir. "Temporarily at least, our work is finished. The extra assignments and increased duty schedules are over. And _I_ just happen to have the entire afternoon off."

"Ohh nooo," groaned Kira. "Dax, you had to bring up that subject, didn't you?"

"I don't believe I have anything scheduled that can't be postponed either," responded Bashir. "And, if memory serves, I believe I was offered a few days of personal leave by Commander Sisko in _gratitude_ for risking my _life_ back on Denali Prime!" He rubbed the back of his head, remembering. "And if anyone doesn't believe me, I have the hastily repaired scar on my scalp to prove it!"

O'Brien raised his mug and drained the rest of the liquid from it in one large gulp. "Julian, I think that you and I should head over to Quark's and see if he has a holosuite available." He paused for a minute in deep thought. "Even if they're all booked, that Ferengi of ours really ought to kick someone out after all of the repairs I've fit into my schedule for him lately. It's time for us to go save the Queen once again."

"I think that's a fine idea Chief," said Bashir with a smirk. He waved dismissively at the rest of them. "You people can continue to sit here and have fun at our expense. We will be in a holosuite, risking our lives once again in defense of the skies of England."

Kira put a hand to her mouth to hide her snort of laughter. "Wait until you see their _costumes_," she told the group from the _Enterprise_. "They even wear scarves!"

O'Brien was already on his way out, but turned to look at her with his usual, wry smile. "It gets very _cold_ up in the wild blue yonder," he reminded her.

* * *

Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Commander Benjamin Sisko stood side by side next to one of the hand railings looking down from the Promenade's second level. They simply stood there quietly, watching the people below laugh and casually banter back and forth. The remainder of the lunch crowd continued to gradually disperse as more and more people returned to duty. Picard and Sisko were still hovering nearby, curiously observing the activity when they heard an amused chuckle from behind them.

"Does being in charge also _require_ you to isolate yourselves?" asked Odo. "Or is this just a voluntary thing?" The shapeshifter had been standing nearby but was now striding across the remaining distance separating them. His arms were folded in front of him almost judgmentally.

"On most occasions I would answer yes," responded Picard with a thin smile. "Once in a while we can join the group for a time, but there is a distinct advantage to be found when a commander maintains a discreet distance from people. There are even those who might argue that the relationships I maintain with my senior staff are still too close. For each and every one of us who leads others, it remains a judgment call... ours to make."

Sisko glanced toward the Changeling. "Why aren't _you_ down there?" he asked. "There's nothing that is preventing you from having a little fun now that the immediate danger has ended."

"_Has_ the violence ended?" asked Odo inquisitively. "I have my doubts about that, you know."

"I've read your report," Sisko reminded him. "I saw the alien, and he seemed sincere."

Picard studied Odo with fierce confidence. "The _Enterprise_ and five other starships will remain in the vicinity for awhile yet, keeping our patrols in this sector larger than normal." His gaze shifted to Sisko. "Do _you_ think the violence has ended Commander?"

"I'll believe it when I see clear evidence of it," the Commander replied tersely. "Diplomatic agreements are the easiest promises to break, and this was an astonishingly quick turnaround. In the space of several minutes, the creature appeared in my office, introduced himself as the Overseer, apologized for terrorizing us, and then disappeared back into subspace. I've recorded some unusual log entries in my days and filed some mighty strange reports, but so far this one is competing for the all time record."

"We injured it with our improvised graviton collector," noted Picard. "My people tell me that the entity may be larger than we can possibly measure with standard scanners, and yet its reaction after we damaged it somehow makes sense. I don't think it's used to losing any of its body mass. That must have been a rather rude awakening for it."

"Nevertheless, the criminal mind is usual predictable," Odo persisted. "This alien was manipulating commercial merchant trade throughout this entire sector and has demonstrated an amazing ability to back up its objectives with force. When someone like that is challenged, they usually don't give up easily. The preferred M.O. is to change tactics and switch to attack using a modified strategy."

"According to my ship's Counselor - who is part empath - the creature does not feel emotion in the same manner that we do," Picard informed them. "It's more like some sort of an emotionless, computerized mind. So yes, it may choose to return and deploy new tactics against us. However, Starfleet Command is spreading the word to all vessels and populated worlds, so they will be fully aware of the problem and know what to watch out for. We're even going to warn species whose relations with us remain tense. The Cardassians, the Romulans, the Tzenkethi..."

"That's awfully _kind_ of Starfleet," decided Sisko, leaning against the safety railing while he listened. The three of them continued to observe the activity below.

"I'm pretty sure the Starfleet Admiralty is using the 'two birds with one stone' philosophy in this case," Picard admitted. "The increased starship patrols in this region are a show of force that Dominion observers on this side of the wormhole should notice. And the decision to advise our enemies in the Alpha Quadrant of the potential alien threat from subspace is, in my opinion, a pre-emptive measure. We may need their assistance if enemy forces from the Gamma Quadrant should decide to move through the wormhole." He extended a hand of friendship toward Odo. "It is nice to finally meet you," he told the Constable. "News travels fast out here on the frontier, and I've heard a lot about you."

"We've heard a lot about your android," replied Sisko. "It has been an honor to get to know him as well, even if only briefly."

Picard smiled with mild amusement. "Commander Riker and Mr. Data are on the bridge of the _Enterprise_, laying out a new search grid for our patrolling starships to utilize. This Overseer may have promised to stay away, but we're going to make certain we do the groundwork necessary to verify that." He continued to watch Odo with interest. "You never did answer the Commander's question."

"Captain?" Odo appeared somewhat perplexed by Picard's statement.

"_You_ could be down there," the _Enterprise_ Captain pointed out. "Go and celebrate with the rest of them. After all, we rarely have the opportunity for large amounts of vacation time in our line of work."

The Constable smiled wryly. "Captain, as a law enforcement officer I have discovered that there is a distinct advantage in maintaining a discreet distance from the people whose behavior I monitor."

"Well there you go!" Captain Picard chuckled, holding up both hands. "The Commander and I have something in common with you too then, Odo."

"I'm glad that the worst appears to be over," admitted Sisko. "We had some dangerous close calls during those gravimetric disturbances. And for a time, those exact same types of incidents were taking place on many planets in this region, including Bajor."

"You've developed a definite fondness for the Bajorans, haven't you?" Picard observed.

"I would be lying if I said that I had not," replied the Commander. They have a wonderful culture, and have traditionally bonded together during good times and bad. They possess a fierce spirituality that directly influences their principles and values. It makes them an admirable, imperfect people... just like the rest of us."

"Ask him about the _Emissary_ part," Odo suggested to the Captain. "No matter how hard the Commander tries to avoid it, he has been adopted by and is beloved by _millions_ of Bajorans."

"Oh really?" said Picard, his interest clearly piqued. "I definitely want to hear all about that."

"Trust me, _that_ is a long and boring story," Sisko stated with a slightly embarrassed groan. And yet, inside he was more than a little relieved. Kai Opaka's pronouncement that he was Bajor's 'Emissary to the Prophets' had helped him connect spiritually with the Bajoran people... a culture that had previously regarded the Federation with suspicion and distrust. And now, he realized that if he endured just a little bit of embarrassment, Odo had inadvertently helped him overcome his tense relationship with Jean-Luc Picard. Together the three of them laughed as they continued to discuss the Bajoran people and their slightly reluctant Starfleet 'Emissary'.

"Do they bow to you?" Picard asked mischievously.

"No, but I do issue blessings to newborns and engaged couples," chuckled Sisko.

* * *

Deep Space Nine, Commander's Quarters, Stardate 48260.9

* * *

The Commander turned in early, after agreeing to allow a noticeably happier Jake to spend the night on a sleepover with Rom and Nog. He himself found the prospect of bunking with the two Ferengi somewhat dubious and difficult to define as 'fun', but Jake and young Nog had already bonded as the best of friends. The Commander spent a few minutes finishing up the remainder of his electronic paperwork for Starfleet, officially - he sincerely hoped - putting an end to the Overseer affair. Once the work was completed, he turned in earlier than usual and fell into a deep and restful sleep.

It was nearly midnight when he woke suddenly, his alert instincts signaling him that something had happened. A slight noise to his left sounded again, and Sisko realized with sudden clarity that someone was in the room with him. "Computer, medium lighting," he stated, sitting straight upright in bed.

As the soft, indirect lighting activated promptly at his request, the Commander noticed a tall, thin man standing at the foot of his bed. "I'm sorry to wake you Benjamin," the familiar dark-haired figure of Thomas Ducane told him. "But I wanted to take a minute to stop by personally and thank you for all your help." He held up his hands and shrugged. "Quite obviously I couldn't simply approach you and do so while you were on the Promenade."

Sisko reached up with his right hand and rubbed the remaining traces of sleep out of his eyes. "It's okay Commander," he said reassuringly. Rising to his feet, he pulled the folds of his robe together and shook his 29th century counterpart's hand firmly. "I'm just happy that everything appears to be settled. What exactly did that android Captain of yours _do _to fix this?"

The room filled with Ducane's laughter. "I'm not exactly certain of that myself yet," he admitted, continuing to chuckle. "Lt. Ingram received a short, cryptic message from Data informing us about the situation here and ordering us back to the 29th century. Once we return home, I would imagine it won't be long before he shows up to fill us in on all of the additional details. But other than that one transmission, we haven't seen our Captain since the aftermath of Deep Space Nine's battle in the Gamma Quadrant." He exhaled slowly, clearly fatigued but relieved as well. "It's been over five days now without the slightest trace of a temporal disturbance, so Jessica and I are obviously pleased with the results... of... whatever it is specifically that he did."

"I believe Data assessed the situation and then took action on his own, so that the consequences of his actions will not taint you or Lt. Ingram," Sisko decided thoughtfully.

Ducane raised an eyebrow. "Really? What makes you say that Commander?"

"Because that's exactly what I would have done." Sisko took a deep breath and sighed with relief. "I think we both can relax. Data had the Janeway hologram with him and two members of my senior staff. I'm sure that whatever solution they came up with was the best choice possible. That creature is massive and _very_ dangerous..."

"Trust me, on that point you have _no_ idea," Ducane replied tensely. "I could tell you more, but that could prove dangerous. I believe - based on the report filed by your holographic counterpart - that we've already given you as many details about the immediate future as we dare."

Sisko smiled in silent agreement. "Have a _safe_ journey back to the 29th century, Thomas Joseph Ducane," he said warmly.

"We will," Ducane replied, clearly amused as he nodded with respect. "Until we meet again, Commander." He tapped his Comm-badge and, seconds later, vanished in a swirling sparkle of bluish-green transporter energy.

* * *

**_Author's Notes:_** _Okay, most of you who have stuck with me through thick and through thin (Le'Letha, this means you!!!!!!!!!) are fully aware that there's **always** a 20th chapter left to tell. It's coming soon and I hope you all enjoy reading the conclusion to "Star Trek: Reign Of Terror". The new "Star Trek" movie will be in theatres May 8th, so be sure and go see that too!_


	20. This Side Of Paradise

**Star Trek: Reign Of Terror**

**Chapter XX: This Side Of Paradise**

* * *

Planet Yosset, Emperor's Palace, Stardate Unknown

* * *

If carrying too many pounds qualified someone to be Emperor of his home world, then Keochi Fazz was destined to remain in his current position for the remainder of his days. The planet's supreme ruler was a compulsive eater - so compulsive in fact that he rarely spent a waking moment without at least several trays of snack foods setting in front of him. Unlike his predecessor, Fazz didn't simply have a palace chef working for him...that wasn't nearly good enough. Instead he had hired a _dozen_ chefs - one for each three hour segment of the day. And while on duty, the on-duty head chef also had access to a full, constantly rotating round-the-clock staff of one hundred. Each chef was responsible for keeping the palace kitchen appliances constantly boiling, steaming, baking, and overall just plain old cooking. Foreign dignitaries regularly visiting the Emperor were inevitably offered a complete meal. If their schedule was pressing and their need to move along urgent, then they received a polite request to at least share a healthy snack with Fazz. He considered anything less to be an insult of the highest order.

Shortly after assuming the role of Emperor, Keochi Fazz's weight had ballooned upward from 85 kilos to 115. That had been twenty-four seasons previously, and he currently tipped the scales at an astonishing 181 kilos. Since his people rarely grew above four and a half feet in height, his obese stature was truly impressive to behold. And if there had ever been an all time record for talking with one's mouth full, then Fazz had probably shattered it long ago and established a brand new one. It was rumored that many of the visitors - those who regularly completed a lengthy pilgrimage to the palace - did so simply to get a close-up look at their Emperor. He ruled with an iron fist, but that never stopped them from coming to see him. Then they would return to their homelands and make all kinds of jokes about his weight in private. Sooner or later, everyone was guilty of ridiculing him... for an oppressed people, it was their only outlet, their only way to release the anger bred by constant tyranny.

Fazz had traditionally been an unpopular ruler. He had assumed power very suddenly and under mysterious circumstances, during a revolutionary uprising made possible only because of his secret, unexpected discovery of a hidden subspace network. Created by a race known as the Preservers, Fazz had managed to decode the glyphs found on ancient ruins discovered in one of their jungles, and then used his knowledge to access the network and deploy its capabilities. Shortly thereafter, he utilized its powers against his own people and completely destroyed the leaders of the planet's previous administration. After that it was a simple matter to appoint himself as the planet's new, unchallenged Emperor. At first, many tried to stop him. But anyone chose to do so always seemed to disappear under mysterious circumstances soon after stepping forward to confront him. With the military stage of his coup completed, Fazz spent the next two dozen years eating, slurping, and chomping down everything he could lay his thick fingers on. He also marveled daily at the almost infinite capabilities of the subspace technology lurking within the Preservers' hidden realm. New discoveries as the years passed were numerous, and his ability to control them perfected.

Currently he was busy checking over the latest status reports from the many gold mines situated just outside of the capitol city. "The workers are falling behind on their quotas again," Fazz pointed out to Vsinje Trai, his top advisor. "During my last speech, I told them I wanted to be _rich_... not spending extra time reading yet another set of reports on slowed progress." He clucked his tongue disapprovingly. "Delays have never impressed me... never, never, _never_..."

Vsinje Trai shifted his eyes uneasily up toward the flabby features of Keochi Fazz, watching the massive, rotund leader of his world continue snacking as he casually complained about slow progress from his severely overburdened work force. Trai had hated Fazz utterly for as long as he could remember, but the Emperor's defenses were nearly impregnable. If anyone approached him with a weapon, somehow Fazz knew. If anyone was thinking about violence, somehow he knew. And those who hated him - which pretty much amounted to everybody - were also somehow known to Fazz. Unfortunately, the Emperor simply didn't _care_. Whatever technology source he had used to take control of the planet was still his, and it seemed to include an ability to somehow read the thoughts right out of other peoples' minds. Thus the subjects of the Yosset home world had discovered over the years that the negative emotions surging through them were noticed but completely ignored so long as they made no effort to depose their imperious leader.

_It didn't bother him in the least that they hated him, as long as they obeyed his every whim_.

"The workers have removed much gold and silver from the mines already, Emperor," Trai reminded his superior using his softest, most respectful tone of voice. "In order to obtain more, they need to dig deeper into the mountain sides. The conditions continue to grow more and more hazardous - perhaps if you could use your technology to replicate more..."

"First - I want them to work for me and _only_ for me. Second - I'll show them _hazardous_," chuckled Fazz while slurping noisily from a sugary drink made from dark red berries. The stout, dark-haired Emperor reached across his throne and tapped a series of command codes into an access panel located on its right arm. The codes were an activation sequence, switching on an electronic earpiece that he wore to interface his brain with the computer. "How about a mild planet quake... should we give them a good shaking?" he asked, wiping beads of sweat from his brow as he flashed an oily smile.

"Emperor, _don't_," Trai implored him. "Most of those men and women have little kids to take care of..."

Fazz continued typing on his control console. "That's why we're just going to give them a _little_ planet quake," he snapped sarcastically. "I only need enough shaking to put a little fear into them." Once his request for access to the subspace network was granted, the Emperor pulled up a menu and searched for industrial-sized tractor beam resources. Without warning, a loud series of electronic beeps sounded from the terminal and a red warning indicator flashed on the console's screen.

"What is that?" asked Trai curiously, pointing toward a strange symbol that had appeared directly in the center of Fazz's screen. "I've never seen you access that function before."

"I do not know," growled Fazz irritably, setting down a half eaten sandwich so that he could work more quickly with both hands. "My access is being denied for some reason; I will have to try again." He continued working for another few minutes, but the odd symbol remained firmly centered on his screen. "It looks like a simple, curved gold triangle with a black star in the center," the Emperor mused thoughtfully. "Except that it is asymmetrical, and the bottom line arcs upward." His gaze shifted toward Trai. "Please leave me for a time Vsinje. You may return in an hour... once I have resolved this minor setback."

Trai bowed deeply. "Your wish is my command Lord." Then, as always, the slim, blonde-haired youth retreated swiftly away from the despicable man who had terrorized his people for decades as quickly as his feet would politely carry him.

Keochi Fazz repeated his attempts to access the Preserver subspace network to no avail. No matter how many times he re-entered his personal access code, the subspace network continued to lock him out. Within minutes of Trai's departure the Emperor was swearing, and a half hour later he was white with fear at the prospect of losing so completely the technological resources that had allowed him to single-handedly conquer and oppress his people. "Why won't you _work_, blasted machine?" he demanded angrily, shouting so loudly and wildly that spittle flew from his greasy lips.

As though reading his mind, a text message suddenly appeared on the console's small screen: _Under new network regulations as defined by the Starfleet Protocol, your historical uses of this network have been evaluated and deemed to be extremely immoral. Your account has therefore been suspended and your privileges revoked_.

"_What_ is this?" demanded Fazz furiously. His eyes flashed around the huge, garishly decorated palace chamber, searching for any sign of others. Fortunately his standing orders did not allow large groups of people anywhere near him, and certainly no one who carried weaponry of any kind. When he had finished verifying that he was indeed still alone, he responded to the message with his own text: _I have made use of tractor beams before. Why would this usage suddenly be unlawful?_

A response was not long in coming. _Internal security within subspace has traditionally been adequate. Everything outside of it has been ignored. However, after a great deal of analysis, the Starfleet Protocol was recently placed into operation in order to penalize those who regularly misuse our resources. Criminal behavior will no longer be tolerated. Your attempt to direct manipulative tractor beams toward the mountainsides near your city will endanger many lives _.

_Who are YOU to decide what behavior is criminal and what is not?_ Fazz typed, realizing as he did so that he was arguing with a completely unknown entity hidden somewhere on the other end of the electronic depths within his computer terminal. _In addition to mining minerals, my workers have also generated great quantities of energy that is freely donated to your network in exchange for the services I request. Restore my access, or that energy flow STOPS_.

The Emperor waited with his anger continuing to escalate as the seconds passed. The response was much slower in coming this time, and during his wait Fazz was interrupted suddenly by the arrival of an on-duty chef's assistant. The slim, white coated cook held a freshly prepared tray of steaming meats and vegetables in his hands, and entered the chamber while on his way to deliver the fresh platter of food.

"_Get out of here!_" Fazz shouted fiercely at the astonished newcomer. It was not immediately clear whether the man's surprise was a reaction to the Emperor's outburst or his extremely rare refusal of proffered food.

Abruptly the computer screen blanked and new text began to appear. _The Starfleet Protocol operates directly under the control of a newly recruited, sophisticated artificial intelligence serving as an objective third party. Approved entities living outside of the network may continue to request access to resources and - under our new guidelines - the Starfleet Protocol will decide whether or not permission to use them will be granted. As stated earlier, a thorough review of your past activity has revealed that your use of this network has resulted in repeated, negative consequences to many living beings and also to the overall environment on your home world. That is why your account has been suspended_.

_Suspended? Give me MY access back!_ Fazz typed furiously. _Immediately! Or the energy flow stops! I am not joking... I will cut you off as completely as you have cut ME off!!_

The Emperor watched his hastily typed statements blink several times and promptly vanish, followed by a swift response. _There is no need for you to continue providing energy to this network. We suggest that you terminate your power flow to our battery collectors as soon as possible. We have many end users who operate within the laws of our protocol both inside and outside of subspace. After a reasonable period of suspension, you may reapply for a new account. Be warned, however, that from this point on only resource access requests aimed toward accomplishing positive things will be authorized_.

Disgusted by the response, Fazz took a moment to think matters through. After a time, he decided to try approaching his problem for a completely different perspective. Taking a deep breath and then exhaling slowly, he began typing once again. _I do not regularly utilize this network_, he pointed out. _Only occasionally do I need your services, and admittedly my actions are certainly not morally perfect. However, are there not more dangerous people on other worlds who are abusing your resources far more than I? Why don't you focus on them instead of my meager requests? Couldn't you save more lives and protect more planets?_

He waited with baited breath until a response came. _We have addressed those other abuses_, the text response scrolling across his screen stated bluntly. _We have eliminated all of them. Everywhere_.

The Emperor's gasp of despair echoed throughout the mostly vacant chamber. He furiously began typing again, trying any avenue of debate that he could think of to try and obtain the restoration of the Preserver network's services. Fazz was still busily working when Vsinje Trai returned. "Majesty?" his top advisor asked hesitantly. "It has been an hour... you did ask me to return?"

Keochi Fazz spun around wildly with a look of true fear in his eyes. "Ready my personal shuttle," he stated commandingly. "Have it prepped for launch immediately."

Then the Emperor of Yosset simply sat there in an emotional state of shock, wondering if he would be able to escape from his people before they discovered that he was suddenly, inexplicably powerless.

* * *

_U.S.S. Relativity_, Alpha Quadrant, in the 29th Century

* * *

Thomas Joseph Ducane was busy watching the timeline status monitors on the starboard bridge consoles when he turned slightly to his right and almost ran into Captain Data. "Oh..." he said with a small sigh of relief at the sight of his commander. "It's you." He cocked his head to one side and grinned wryly at the android. "Didn't Lt. Ingram ask you to stop sneaking up on us while using that blasted network?"

Data chuckled in response, causing Ducane to raise an eyebrow of surprise. Then the Captain's expression grew somewhat distant, and he slowly turned his head so that he could survey the _Relativity_'s bridge and all of its on-duty crewmen and women. "I am afraid that, this time, my connection to the Preserver's subspace realm has become a bit more... permanent. I am its newest resident, in fact."

The Commander was quiet for a moment, and then extended a hand to touch the android's shoulder. "You _feel_ real," he commented idly, "but so does an isomorphic projection."

"Yes." Data nodded. "Suffice it to say that the matter of the Overseer was not a problem that could simply be resolved overnight, or one easily managed by politicians. In return for the cooperation of the Preservers and those in charge of managing the subspace operating system, I was required to commit myself to an ongoing, long-term participation in my own solution to the crisis."

Ducane shook his head with disbelief. "Is it temporally related, or do we get to know about any of this?"

"All relevant data has already been uploaded into my Captain's log," replied Data. He held out both hands and waved casually. "I'm afraid that - once again - _you_ Thomas Joseph Ducane are the acting Captain of the _Relativity_."

There was a much more prolonged silence this time as the Commander slowly digested the news. "Do you ever get to return to us?" he asked. "Long-term doesn't mean forever, does it?" he asked finally.

Data smiled reassuringly. "Consider this a simple transfer," he suggested. "I can generate a projection similar to this one at any time and move amongst Starfleet personnel just like any other person. Additionally, should a prolonged presence outside of subspace be required, I have the ability to replicate an exact duplicate of the body I sacrificed to merge with the network."

A new voice sounded from behind him... Lt. Ingram's. "A prolonged presence may indeed be needed," she cautioned him. Walking up the small stairway at the center of the bridge, she moved to join them. "Weren't you going to say goodbye to the rest of us, sir?" she asked, casting a wary glance his way.

"That is one of the reasons I am here," admitted Data with a nod. He mentally reviewed her first statement, clearly intrigued by her words. "Why do you think I will need to spend additional time outside of subspace?"

The slim, attractive blonde-haired Lieutenant chuckled with more than a little amusement. "I noticed your latest log entries arrive," she told him. "And not only do I have a curious nature, but I'm a bit of a speed reader." She shook her head and placed her hands firmly on her hips. "Do you have any _idea_ how angry the council members at Starfleet Intelligence are going to be?" she asked. "Captain, you made all kinds of _permanent _decisions - including that of your _own_ fate - without even so much as a subspace hello. They're going to be _furious_ with you for not consulting with them before acting on this matter! The senior members of the Temporal Integrity Commission..."

"What did he do?" asked the Commander, paling slightly as his imagination ran wild.

"Essentially, he blew up the _Yellowjacket_ while it was inside the Overseer, thereby attaching its quantum singularity directly to that creature's hide." Ingram handed a fully loaded data padd to Ducane. "I'm assuming that somehow the rest of our good Captain ended up inside the subspace network."

"Yes, and now I can continually negotiate with the Overseer and utilize the singularity as a negotiating tool to keep him from intruding on populated space," Data added. "If he disobeys, I can reduce his body mass at a faster and faster graviton flow rate until he gives in and complies."

"_Some_ negotiating tool," Ingram said critically. "It's more like a weapon. You take air out of any part of a balloon, and the balloon as a whole is bound to shrink." She watched Ducane's reaction as he read the summary of the major developments from Data's report on the padd's small screen. "When Starfleet finds out what you did without consulting them first, they're going to _freak_," she predicted.

"Which is... _why_... you _didn't_ consult with anybody," guessed Ducane. "You _protected_ us..."

"Indeed," the android responded. "I protected you quite thoroughly in fact. There is nothing that Starfleet Intelligence can legally do to any of you, since none of you were aware of what I was planning. The hologram of Kathryn Janeway, along with an entity dwelling within subspace, proved to be sufficient advisors. They assisted me with an abbreviated strategy session. Together we came up with and executed a successful solution to the Overseer crisis before the timeline became irreparably disrupted. If we had not, Starfleet Intelligence would not now exist in any substantive form capable of challenging me."

"Nevertheless..." growled the Commander somewhat irritably. "When angered and unable to court marshal an actual offender, Starfleet has been known to grab _anyone_ within arm's reach."

Ingram nodded. "_Especially_ subordinates."

"True," admitted Data. "However, once I am finished visiting here I have plans to return to Earth and testify before the Temporal Integrity Commission," he informed them, smirking somewhat slyly while winking at them. "While there I intend to put in a good word for all of you."

"It might be better if you _didn't_ do that," chuckled Ducane, "but you're still the Captain until they assign us a new one." He exhaled slowly, taking stock of the situation. "We're not totally innocent ourselves, you know. We ended up having to fire through our cloak to protect Deep Space Nine from the Overseer and his minions. According to a number of active treaties, we're not exactly supposed to be doing that." He smiled with renewed vigor. "However, nothing attracts approval from Admirals more than success. And if your actions in this matter prove to be as efficient as your past decisions, don't be surprised if Starfleet wants you back out of subspace and right back here... on the bridge of this particular ship."

"My intentions are for _you_ to take over permanent command of the _Relativity_, effective immediately," Data told the astonished Commander. "I sincerely believe that this crew will rally around you in a positive manner and that you are the best choice to lead them. I have entered exactly those sentiments in my final log." He paused for a moment. "You will find all command functions transferred to you Thomas. _You_ are now the acting Captain unless my recommendation is rejected and someone else is assigned to replace you."

Ducane felt a rush of enthusiasm and gratitude. "Thank you sir," he replied, bowing respectfully. "No one could ask for a better teacher than you have been."

The android turned toward the razor sharp, intelligent blonde female standing next to the Commander. "Lt. Ingram, I have also requested that you be promoted immediately to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander and designated the acting First Officer of this vessel," he stated crisply to Jessica. "We suddenly have a vacancy to fill. After serving for a reasonable duration at your new rank, I am quite certain that you will eventually capture a command of your own."

Jess Ingram's cheeks flushed bright red with pride. "Thank you _sir_," she responded softly.

Curiosity got the better of Ducane. "What exactly are _your_ new duties?" he asked.

Data's expression remained blank. "I am in charge of making certain that the Overseer behaves himself," he replied. "It is a unique and challenging opportunity - one that will test my positronic brain to its limits. The creature's reach is virtually infinite, and its brain multi-segmented to allow for the vast distances. Essentially, it has many hands and those located farther away aren't always aware of what the hand nearest to us is up to. I have a lot of work to do in order to restore order to the many galaxies - indeed universes - in which its intrusion has been pervasive and long-term. In my spare time..."

"...your _spare_ time...?" Ingram commented with obvious disbelief.

The Captain paused to let her react before continuing. "In my spare time," he continued, "I am in charge of enforcing the network's Starfleet Protocol. It is a new layer of security that governs the use of Preserver resources _outside_ of subspace, something that has never been done previously. There were many who felt that any judgment of how resources were used by network members would be too subjective and constitute interference with other cultures. However, my extensive interaction with emotional humanoids, combined with my unique positronic brain and artificial intelligence, were apparently very attractive to the network's moderators. They asked me to serve in this capacity as an objective third party. My assistance in improving the security within their operating system was one of their few requirements in exchange for cooperation in resolving the matter of the Overseer."

"At least a part of you _likes_ this new assignment," speculated Ducane. "Or am I reading you wrong?"

"No, I am busy multi-tasking," Data replied, causing Ingram to snort with barely restrained laughter. He turned toward her thoughtfully. "I am not kidding. While we hold this conversation, 99.9997 percent of my positronic activity is busy elsewhere, coordinating activity throughout the Preserver's realm." His gaze shifted back to Ducane. "And yes, Commander, part of me is looking forward to this wonderful, new opportunity. I will be able to stop by and visit with you on a regular basis. I can also more easily interact with my colleague Frank Roberts in the distant future. Starfleet bigwigs will be angry for awhile, they will even hold meetings and talk very loudly, but eventually things will return to normal."

The Commander laughed heartily. "Even here in the 29th century, things have rarely been _normal_," he pointed out with a continuing chuckle. "Back in those first few days, when Adam and Eve were living in the Garden of Eden... _that_ was when things were normal. Things were perfect, in fact. But those first two humans gave into temptation and messed up everything by choosing to eat the fruit from the forbidden Tree of Knowledge. God ended up kicking humanity out of that garden for their disobedience, and the rest of us have had to content ourselves with living on this side of Paradise ever since. Nothing will ever be easy, but I firmly believe that the challenges and obstacles we must confront in our daily lives inevitably make us a stronger and better people. If we _learn_ from our mistakes, then there is no need to repeat them."

The android nodded approvingly. "Well said," he decided, raising an index finger for emphasis. "And it is funny you should mention the Garden of Eden..." He trailed off, deciding at the very last instant not to mention his unexpected encounter with the enigmatic David to them. _But he was sincerely tempted to_.

Ingram clapped Commander Ducane on the back. "I can tell you're not looking forward to dealing with Starfleet directly again," she said with a knowing smile.

"No," Ducane admitted, "I am not. Politicians evaluate these matters from behind the safety of our borders. When I think back to our two most recent crises - how easily disaster could have erupted if we had not chosen to act..." He shook his head with frustration as he watched Data. "Regulations are fine under normal conditions, but I am glad we still retain the authority to act on the fly if we need to. You're going to have the toughest job explaining this," he predicted. "Many of them just don't understand that some fights can't be won with the simple use of force or on a predictable timetable. Sometimes only persistence and a fierce determination to prevail are the only options left to us... and even then victory is never guaranteed."

Stepping forward, Data offered a hand to Ducane and shook it firmly. He repeated the action with Lt. Ingram a few seconds later. "Good luck to all of you," the android told them. "I will be dropping by from time to time to check on things here. We improved our situation considerably after the crisis with the Sentinel by establishing a permanent presence within the Preserver government in the distant future. Through me, you now have a direct link to additional help whenever you need it. I have left specific instructions in my logs as to how to contact me whenever you need to send a message. Take care of yourselves, and continue to protect Starfleet's timeline."

Ducane smiled confidently. "We will."

He and Jessica Ingram watched Data's image gradually turn transparent and slowly fade away. Seconds later, their former Captain was gone.

"I really wish he could have stuck around," Ducane sighed. "He was a great Captain."

"The universe is constantly changing," countered Ingram. "That's why we have to remain watchful."

The Commander laughed at her expression. "With you on the job, I'm not one bit worried," he told her.

Together, the two of them returned to duty and continued reviewing Data's newly uploaded logs.

* * *

_With his full attention focused back on the subspace realm, a portion of Data's thoughts lingered for a moment on the matter of his sudden, unexpected departure from command of the_ Relativity_. His android emotions had been perfectly preserved within the Preserver network's newest, positronic technology created specifically to house his consciousness. His best description of what he was 'feeling' at the moment would be best represented by the word 'bittersweet'. Once again he was leaving behind friends and colleagues who truly meant a lot to him, and sadly this was a common practice that Data-Class androids - along with their almost unlimited lifespan - had gradually grown used to._

**Hello**_, a familiar voice stated, keeping its presence tentative until the android mind accepted Decker's offer to communicate._ **How are things progressing for you here Data?**

_Data thought about the question for several milliseconds before responding. _**Everything is fine Will Decker**_, he answered truthfully._ **I have been made to feel most welcome here**.

_The presence of his counterpart was much more palpable now, Data noticed. Their minds were linked together even more closely via the network technology now than at any other time_. **V'Ger has additional processing resources available if you need them**_, Decker informed him_. **They are fully compatible with your design and capable of running your software**.

**For now that will be unnecessary**_, the android responded._ **I have run into only mild resistance implementing full control over the usage of our facilities. There is an oppressive Emperor on a small planet who is but one of the many furious at our new rules. He resisted me for a time, but eventually had no choice but to accept the truth**.

_There was a prolonged pause as Decker evaluated the words of his friend_. **You feel sorry for this Keochi Fazz**, _he guessed suddenly_. **After all that man has done to his people, you actually feel at least some compassion for what is about to happen to him**.

_Data chuckled mildly in response_. **Dr. Noonien Soong programmed the original Data to study humanity and to strive constantly to emulate the best aspects of its people. So yes, I do feel some compassion for Emperor Fazz. But the specifics of his fate are not up to me to decide... I have no right to be his judge in this matter. That is why I chose to simply deny him further use of our resources. The decisions he makes from here on in will determine his fate, as will the wrath of his people. So far his choices have been extremely poor ones**.

_Decker was not so quick to agree_. **Fazz has caused many deaths. There are many here who feel that anyone denying both life and liberty to so many does not himself deserve compassion.**

**Diversity of our occupants here is what makes this place so special**_, Data pointed out_. **My own history is a lengthy one, which is why the Preservers have deemed my judgment to be acceptable for approving or denying access to our resources. I expect that my decisions will grow even more accurate over time as I continue to grow more familiar with the various races dwelling within this universe. Some of them will be honest with me, while others will be much more manipulative**.

**What else are you so interested in?** _asked Decker curiously, analyzing his counterpart's electronic brain activity_. **A small portion of your resources are tagged as private research. V'Ger has a curious nature, and would like to know what you are hiding from us**.

_Again Data's electronic emotions prodded a computerized laugh out of him_. **I am taking David up on his suggestion, and studying the DNA of giraffes and zebras**_, he replied_. **Truly the genetic pattern that allows a spark of life to create these beautiful animals is remarkable to behold, regardless of how the actual method of its design was achieved**.

**I concur**_, agreed the Decker entity. _**V'Ger has encountered many astonishing life forms**.

**Now then**_, Data declared unexpectedly._ **Why don't we set aside the small talk? Then you can tell me the _real _reason for your visit here?**

**Very well then**_, his counterpart responded enthusiastically. _**Many of us spend a great deal of our time exploring. Therefore, there are many who would like to duplicate your recent, far-reaching journeys outward. We would also like to begin working with the Overseer's gateway resources which you so brilliantly decided to bring along into subspace with you. When will the enhanced versions be ready for use?**

**Soon**_, Data promised._ **I have already discarded the constricting limitations of the hexagonal framework and adapted the Overseer's technology for subspace. After a few more enhancements, we will be able to expand or collapse each doorway to accommodate any sized vessel or entity. Additional power will of course be required for larger portals, but here there will always be an abundance of available energy. Preserver exploration teams - along with their largest vessels - will now be able to move virtually anywhere**.

**That is good to hear**_, acknowledged Decker._ **The Preservers have always worked on a limited basis toward coordinating with their counterparts in alternate realities. Thanks to you that task will be much easier from this point forward.**

_Data's positronic thoughts grew somewhat more philosophical._ **I keep thinking about the vision that the future copy of Jean-Luc Picard once told me about**_, he informed Decker reflectively._ **During the early days of their captivity, both he and Kirk managed at least one attack on the Sentinel. Naturally the Sentinel had expected the assault and permitted it so that Picard could temporarily put on his network interface headset. After doing so, Jean-Luc attempted to access information that would allow them to escape. The network misinterpreted his untrained thoughts and provided him with what has apparently turned out to be a vision of Starfleet history... specifically this alternate timeline**.

_Decker considered the prospect._** What makes you say that? **_he wondered._

**The information that Picard saw in his mind ended with a vision of countless gateways**_, Data continued._** Each of them led to a different, alternate universe. Since that technology has only recently become part of this network, I suspected for a time that this network's operating system might in fact be prescient. However, that notion has proven to be false. I now believe that Picard was shown exactly what he asked for... the response he received included a description of a diverging timeline. He was shown exactly how history should take place if the Sentinel were in fact defeated. And, not surprisingly, we have arrived at that particular moment in time where Jean-Luc's vision concluded. At first this seemed impossible to believe, but I checked and there are many resources here in subspace capable of tracking timeline activity. In fact, much of the technology matches the equipment aboard the _Relativity_**.

**Interesting**_, replied a clearly fascinated Decker._ **The Preservers have always been able to cross between realms, but never before have they possessed this kind of direct access. Thanks to you, the Overseer's technology will now be used for peaceful exploration and to provide detailed assistance to needy cultures in other realities**.

**Return again soon**_, suggested Data firmly._ **It will not take long to complete the remaining work**.

**You know how to get in touch with me**_, chuckled Decker with amusement. _**I will say this once again Data... WELCOME to our fold here within the depths of subspace**. _Gradually the alien presence that was known as the Decker/V'Ger hybrid drifted slowly away._

* * *

Star cluster 112, Preserver Council of the Elders, 5.2 million years in the future

* * *

Sitting alone next to a very large conference table, Erika Hernandez sipped at the hot mug of coffee that she had recently replicated while browsing through the information displayed on an electronic work pad. Most of the technology used by the small, laptop-like display screen was actually located elsewhere. Erika's data reader was essentially a highly tuned transceiver running with her newcomer's authorization code. Using the setup, a simple electronic handshaking process permitted her instant access to any information in the Preserver archives at or below her authorization level. Currently she and the other surviving members of the _Columbia_ crash were in the process of completing orientation classes to prepare them for their new duties in the future. It was material very similar to training information that Frank Roberts and the duplicates of Jean-Luc Picard and James Kirk had been required to review after their own arrival.

After yet another extended period of study, Erika tried to blink away growing eye strain. Her fingers touched the top of the display screen and folded it down onto the lower part of the reader, shutting it off. Continuing to sip at the coffee while holding the mug in her left hand, she tried to rub some of the fatigue out of her eyes with her right. Across from her, the doors to one of the room's many entrances hissed softly open. Jean-Luc Picard and James Kirk entered, and she glanced up and smiled at the two men who had been working so steadily to assist her and her crewmates in preparing for a new life with the Preservers. It had taken awhile for all of them to accept the fact that - in their timeline - history already considered _Columbia_'s crew to be lost, presumed dead. It was an astonishingly unusual paradox that one could only expect from space travel; yet frustrating for her and her crew to say the least.

"Good morning," Kirk said agreeably, sniffing the familiar aroma in the air. "I smell coffee."

Erika gestured toward the far end of the table. "I replicated an entire pot," she told him wryly. "I must say, the future offers even more marvelous devices than the century I left behind."

"Coffee Jean-Luc?" Kirk asked, holding up the pot.

Picard harrumphed in response and walked over to the replicator. "Tea, Earl Grey... hot!" he said almost defiantly, casting a mild, rebellious look Kirk's way.

Erika chuckled with amusement. "What has he got against coffee?"

"I dunno," mused Kirk thoughtfully, shrugging his shoulders. "He's supposedly a century ahead of me, but you'd never know it based on his beverage choices." He leaned over the table, closer to her, and whispered, "He prefers wine over beer, too."

"Certainly not!" gasped Hernandez with feigned horror.

Standing next to the replicator, Picard initially chose to ignore them, but he bristled noticeably. After a few seconds, he sipped from his newly generated cup of steaming tea and changed his mind. "If you two want to salve your own egos by mocking me," he said suddenly, "then by all means continue with your irrelevant, juvenile banter." He waved a casual hand in their direction. "I will simply take the high road, and content myself with a superior sense of taste and decorum that was quite obviously _missing_ during Starfleet's early days."

Hernandez chuckled with delight and turned thoughtfully toward Kirk. "Does he talk like that all the time?" she asked inquisitively.

Kirk's expression soured noticeably and he nodded. "Frequently." He pulled out an empty chair and sat down at the table directly across from Erika. "But we came here to find out how you and your crew are doing. So tell us... how are things proceeding?" he asked with interest.

"All of us are getting along very well," the former NX-02 Captain replied confidently. "The Preservers are used to bringing a variety of different species into their inner circle, so they're experts at writing training material. Everything was very easy to follow," she noted, tapping the top of her electronic reader for emphasis. "And when I did have questions, all I had to do was strike up a conversation with one of those artificially programmed, computer personalities of theirs."

Again Kirk leaned closer. "The sentient computers are extremely intelligent, and even _they_ don't talk like him," he grinned, pointing at Picard.

Jean-Luc shook his head disagreeably. "Oh would you please knock it off already?" he requested sourly, glaring at his friend and colleague with mock disapproval. Setting his teacup back on the saucer he held, he took a deep breath and sighed. "Captain Hernandez, if you and your crew continue to progress so quickly, you'll be receiving actual assignments in no time," he predicted. "That only bodes well for both of us. James Kirk and I have been severely overworked here for quite some time now."

The door across from them opened and the two holograms of Kathryn Janeway and Benjamin Sisko entered. The pair paused only briefly while scrutinizing the other three, then pulled out chairs and seated themselves next to Kirk. "Were you two supposed to be a part of this meeting?" wondered Kirk idly. "I didn't see your names on the agenda..."

Sisko chuckled briefly. "The last item on the agenda is listed as 'other topics for discussion'." He leaned back in his seat and smiled confidently. "You may consider _us_ to be one of those other topics."

"We've finished our own summary report to the Council of Elders," Janeway added quickly. "They didn't want to hear about any new business, so we decided to submit our ideas here."

Again the nearest doorway snapped open and Commander Frank Roberts entered. If the Data-Class android was at all surprised by the larger than normal group gathered, his expression concealed it. He paused just inside the doorway, picking up on the discussion already in progress.

"_New_ business," stated an intrigued Kirk. "You're _holograms_. What can possibly be _new_ with you?"

"Congratulations. _That_ is our new business," replied Sisko, deciding immediately to get straight to the point. "We want to be human again."

Picard seated himself next to Hernandez. As he heard the comment he raised an eyebrow of surprise. "_Really?_" he responded with interest. "You would return to a biological body with all of its limitations and physical flaws? Is there something wrong with being completely photonic?"

"Holographic technology definitely has its advantages," Sisko admitted. "However, the everyday things that you humans have no choice but to accept and deal with have now become lost to us. We don't eat, sleep or require showers... among other things."

"Isn't that an advantage?" asked Erika curiously.

Janeway shook her head slowly in reply. "You have no idea just how _long_ an entire night is until you've stayed awake the whole time." She sat there, thinking about the matter further before continuing. "We've talked about this with the Archer hologram and there is a distinct problem with what is happening to us. Our computer generated bodies are modeled very closely after the originals... they're used to doing the things that everyday humans do. Since we left behind our biological properties, our personalities have begun to diverge noticeably from the original people whom we were patterned after." She shrugged her shoulders. "It won't take long before I reach a point where I'm _not_ Kathryn Janeway any longer."

Kirk frowned. "Jean-Luc and I are already human, and even our personalities have diverged from the original electronic recording that the Sentinel used as a template to copy us. We've been here in the distant future for many months now, living lives that are very different from those two original men. What we experience in life directly affects our judgment, so the two of us are changing too. If we were placed back in our old roles in our old timeframes, I doubt that we would make the same decisions as our counterparts there. We're changing just like you are."

"But not as _swiftly_ as we are. Take a look at this," Sisko told him, sliding a small, portable data reader across the table. "Our personalities are diverging into something completely different, at a rate exponentially faster than your own. All of the analysis done to this point indicates that this is solely because we now lack the essence of being biological."

Examining the data listed on the reader, James Kirk nodded in agreement. "There is a definite acceleration in the divergence of your personalities from the original." He turned in his seat and handed the reading device to Picard. "You have a good case to make if you can attract the Council's attention."

Jean-Luc reviewed the new information carefully. "Initially, in the aftermath of the Sentinel incident, there was a plan in place to duplicate you too," he informed them. "However, the Council Elders were understandably concerned about creating additional copies of humanoids that - from their perspective - already have lives of their own in the distant past. To force them to stay and live here and deny them the life that they were living... it just didn't seem morally proper. The Sentinel had no such inhibitions, but matters changed considerably after our arrival."

"The plan was to create holograms like the two of you, so that we could evaluate how well you reacted to the suddenness of your new environment." Kirk held up his hands helplessly. "Jean-Luc and I were stuck here, since the Sentinel had already copied us. Obviously, we both wanted to continue living and find a way to contribute positively." He sighed, thinking of the heavy workload that the two of them had so far managed to meet. "And boy oh boy have _we_ been contributing..."

"If the duplication process is morally dubious, then why did Frank Roberts create Trip?" asked Sisko.

Picard exhaled slowly and set the reader aside, watching Roberts' reaction carefully. As usual, the android Commander concealed his simulated feelings so that it was impossible to tell what he was thinking. "That was a decision on the Commander's part, and it was the event that triggered the subsequent misgivings of everyone else." He glanced hesitantly toward Erika. "Captain Hernandez..."

"Erika," she corrected him. "If you people aren't using rank anymore, Jean-Luc, then I'm not either."

"Erika," continued Picard. "I'm not sure whether you're aware of this or not yet, but at some point shortly after the disappearance of _Columbia_ your good friend Commander Tucker sacrifices himself in order to save the lives of his crew mates aboard _Enterprise_. When a small group of us ended up here in the future, Roberts gave in to the simulated emotions of his programming and replicated Trip so that he could have another chance at peace and long life here in the future."

Hernandez sat silently for a moment. "I always _knew_ that Starfleet wouldn't be able to reach out and touch other worlds without consequences," she declared somewhat moodily. "Do we eventually win any of these battles that have cost us so many friends and colleagues?"

"Oh absolutely," Picard told her. "The toughest part of being a Captain is losing people under our command or innocents who get caught in the crossfire of our conflicts. But we have always persevered and - in the end - prospered because of it."

"Like Jean-Luc Picard and Jonathan Archer, I was also Captain of an _Enterprise_," Kirk noted. "My predecessor was a man named Pike, and he used to remind his Doctor about the unpredictability of life all the time. He was famous for pointing out that 'we either live life - bruises, skinned knees and all. Or else we turn our back on it and start dying'."

"It's a good quote," acknowledged Erika. She poured herself a fresh cup of hot coffee.

"If I remember correctly, the Council has at least once discussed the possibility of creating holograms out of my _entire_ crew," interjected Janeway. "In fact, they were going to duplicate _everyone_ recruited from the past that assisted in the battle against the Sentinel. So I am therefore understandably curious... was that project ever completed?"

Picard shook his head negatively. "Everyone in our group has agreed that it was important to first evaluate how well the holograms already in existence behaved." He drummed the fingertips of one hand on the tabletop. "When this newest crisis developed, the Tom Paris hologram was created so that Captain Janeway could show up on Deep Space Nine with a potential undercover operative who was completely aware of the delicacy of the situation. We transmitted the matrices for both holograms back through time specifically so that the two of them would be available to assist Captain Data. He knew that he was going to have to interact directly with people from his past in order to discover the source of the temporal incursions there."

"I think that we can safely conclude the holographic program has been a success," Janeway decided, holding up her hands for emphasis. "I made the trip there and back again with zero appreciable defects."

Behind her, Frank Roberts folded his arms together. He continued to listen patiently to their conversation as they debated the merits of holography versus biology.

"_We_ want to be humans just like you," insisted Sisko emphatically, using his deepest, most serious tone of voice. "All of us who are photonic have discussed the matter, and we all have agreed that converting us at this point would be a bit of a risk. However, _before_ we become someone entirely different from who we were, from who we remember being, we _want_ to become human again. We know we will have to live here and work with you either way, so we hope that you will agree with us on this matter."

"Then I will definitely add this subject to our list of priorities for the next Council meeting," declared Picard firmly. "But I would remind you that the Commander is the leader of our group and has the final say." He glanced up briefly and met Roberts' gaze once again. "You heard all of this, I take it?"

"I heard enough," nodded the Commander. He held a much larger, more detailed electronic reader and began setting it up on the table. "I have no objections to converting you back to humans if that is what you wish. Since you are considered to be sentient and thereby able to make your own decisions, I am also reasonably certain that the Council will approve such a motion." He glanced over toward Janeway and Sisko, flashing them the same curious, smirk that Captain Data was famous for. "Therefore, the only real question remaining is... would you like the conversion to take place _before_ or _after?_"

Janeway hesitated, but only briefly. "Okay, I'll play ball," she decided. "Before or after _what?_"

The android known as Frank Roberts finished setting up the reader and raised its larger, wider display screen. His fingers danced across its control pad as he began calling up statistical information and graphical images. "The Council of Elders has formally asked for assistance on a new mission that they plan on assigning to our group," he informed them. His expression grew serious once again as he turned to face Erika Hernandez. "It appears as though your first assignment will be to assist us in your own timeline," he stated informatively. "We need to return to Starfleet's 22nd century immediately regarding a very urgent matter."

"_What_ urgent matter?" protested a visibly fatigued Picard. "We've already got a lot of irons in the fire right here, Commander," he reminded Roberts. "I am definitely _not_ a photonic hologram, so my energy level is finite. I require frequent, scheduled _rest_ periods in order to maintain peak efficiency."

"All other projects that we are working on have been reassigned to others," announced Roberts. "Our new problem is an emergency situation that surfaced unexpectedly and requires immediate attention."

"Why is _my_ century involved?" wondered Hernandez curiously.

"We were informed that the crisis with the Overseer has been resolved," Kirk added.

"For all intents and purposes, it has been resolved," insisted Roberts. "We have received plenty of new telemetry confirming that. This new problem directly involves Dr. Tolian Soran, our resident, reformed evil doer. He and a very sophisticated electronics support vessel vanished from their posting on one of our Guild planets and reappeared in the distant past... specifically in Starfleet's 22nd century. The crew assigned to that vessel all appear to be loyal to Soran, since none of them chose to remain behind. Our logs clearly show that each of them was given the option to leave."

"What would he possibly want all the way back there?" asked Sisko.

"I do not know," stated Roberts truthfully. "Apparently Soran's job performance and overall approval ratings have been dropping recently. He has had ongoing mental issues for many years, even in his old life. They were driven primarily by his compulsive nature and uncontrolled anxiety. For too long those deficiencies went undiagnosed."

"Those problems were supposed to be under control and _treatable_," Picard observed. "I personally sat alongside Soran during counseling sessions with your Doctors, since I'm the closest thing he has to a friend. I may not be a physician, but I can tell you that Soran was showing tremendous improvement."

Roberts shrugged indifferently. "I am certain that he was Jean-Luc. But that was before he stopped taking his medication. Apparently he was concealing the daily doses in his quarters for weeks, while telling his current Doctor that he was taking them regularly and everything was okay."

Kirk looked clearly annoyed. "_Why_ would he do that?"

"Medication often has side effects, even using advanced Preserver science," speculated Roberts. "According to his history file, Dr. Soran has never really fit in with anyone since the destruction of his home world. Additionally, he has at times expressed concern to his Doctor about unpleasant side effects. He felt that at least some of the medication was making him worse... making him more and more mentally ill. I would imagine he stopped taking it to see whether or not his theory was true."

"I used to have a red-haired Doctor around who would strongly object to the idea of Soran making his own medical decisions," sighed Picard. "What is he doing in our 22nd century?"

"Unknown at present." Roberts swiveled his display so that they could all see the image of two timelines. There was a green, central line flowing across the screen from left to right along with a second. The new timeline, highlighted in bright red, was steadily beginning to diverge from the original. "I just received this information from acting Captain Ducane on board the _Relativity_. They're going to continue monitoring the situation and provide us with additional updates as more changes ripple forward to the 29th century. He's also trying to get in touch with Captain Data, but that's proving to be more difficult than usual."

"Why?" inquired Janeway.

"Part of Data's solution to the Overseer matter was to transfer his consciousness into the Preserver network," Roberts informed them. For just a moment he paused to take a bit of electronic pleasure at the startled looks on the faces of so many Starfleet Captains.

After a short, stunned silence Picard's curiosity got the better of him. "Ducane also knows about the existence of the network. Can't _he_ get a message to Data?" The balding ex-starship Captain leaned back comfortably in his chair and sighed with frustration. "I don't know yet if we'll need his input, but I would definitely think there are distinct advantages to hearing his point of view. If Captain Data is in that subspace network, he no doubt has direct access to considerable resources."

Roberts nodded in agreement. "Ducane is trying to reach him at Starfleet. Data had checked in with him earlier and promised to testify before the members of the Temporal Integrity Committee. So I expect that we'll eventually locate him," he predicted, turning in his seat to focus his attention next on Erika. "I don't think it's any accident that he chose your century, Captain Hernandez. I thoroughly reviewed Soran's recent access to our archives. Apparently, he's been reviewing all the data he could find regarding the original NX- missions ever since you arrived. Something about your timeline has apparently triggered a strong desire in him to travel there."

"_Who_ is Soran?" Erika asked bluntly.

"Soran is a scientist from my century... someone who can be a very, _very_ dangerous man under the right circumstances," replied Picard tersely. "We can only hope that he's not up to his old games. If he is, the situation there will deteriorate rapidly. He knows as much about this Preserver future as we do."

"We will know more soon," Roberts promised. "Captain Ducane plans to check in with us again, regardless of whether or not we hear from Data."

"_Before_," Sisko said suddenly, turning to look at the android thoughtfully.

"Agreed," said Janeway almost immediately. "We will serve you better as humans."

Roberts paused briefly and the room grew silent. "Very well," he decided. "I'll upload a copy of our new mission objectives, along with the data we've received, directly to your personal readers. Prepare yourselves, because many of us will be moving into the distant past. Soran came from here - from our present - so it's up to us to make certain that Captain Ducane receives all needed assistance."

* * *

Preserver Subspace, Location Unknown, Time Unknown

* * *

_Data's curiosity was not yet sated. He continued dedicating a minute fraction of his overall processing capability to the study of giraffe and zebra DNA. The intricate, complex designs of the genetic material continued to captivate his attention. He found himself extremely intrigued at how simple much of the structure actually was. And yet, the spark of life in one set of genetic material would take the shape of a giraffe with its own unique set of brown spots while another would produce a black striped zebra. _**Fascinating**_, Data decided as he continued his research._ **Truly fascinating**. _Traditionally Data-Class androids had always had hobbies, and this was possibly the beginning of a brand new one... a growing love of animals._

_Settling more comfortably into his new role within subspace, Data eagerly studied the information more closely. Unexpectedly, an electronic red flag alerted him suddenly to an urgent, incoming message from Commander Ducane._

**We need your input immediately on a new, very important matter**_... it began._

* * *

**THE END ???**

**Coming in the Fall of 2009**

**Star Trek: Infinite Diversity**

**(A brand new "Star Trek: Enterprise" Adventure!!!)**

* * *

_**Author's Notes:** A sincere **THANK YOU** for reading everyone! This may have not ended as most would have expected, but **WHERE** would the fun be in that? Have a **GREAT** summer and I'll be back in the fall!_

* * *


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